5 New Design Exhibitions for September 2015

As old Mother Goose, allegedly, once claimed:

Thirty days hath September, and the following five enticing new design and architecture exhibitions which are probably well worth checking out if you get the chance…….

“Piet Mondrian. The Line” at the Martin-Gropius-Bau, Berlin, Germany

Just as those architects who were to lead the move to modernism in the first decades of the 20th century generally began working in more classic styles before being seduced by the reduced charm of modernism, so to did the Dutch painter Piet Mondrian begin as an impressionist before discovering that which would become his defining form: the line. Organised by the Martin-Gropius-Bau Berlin in conjunction with Gemeentemuseum Den Haag, “Piet Mondrian. The Line” promises to present some 50, largely early, works by Mondrian through which the curators aim to explain how the artist strove to find his own artistic voice – a voice which remains an enduring influence on contemporary art, architecture and design.

Piet Mondrian. The Line opens at the Martin-Gropius-Bau Berlin, Niederkirchnerstraße 7, 10963 Berlin on Friday September 4th and runs until Sunday December 6th.

Piet Mondrian (1872 – 1944): Kirchenfassade 1: Kirche in Domburg, 1914 (Photo: © Gemeentemuseum Den Haag, The Netherlands, Courtesy of Martin-Gropius-Bau Berlin)

“The Bauhaus #itsalldesign” at the Vitra Design Museum, Weil am Rhein, Germany

The second most pertinent question in context of the Vitra Design Museum’s forthcoming Bauhaus exhibition is, what would Walter Gropius make of the hashtag? Something tells he would have liked it. And not just because of its quadratic sophistication, but much more because of the inherent sense of solidarity and directed action it transports. And its commercial value, obviously.
And the most pertinent question, what can another major Bauhaus exhibition add to our knowledge and understanding of that most lauded of institutions? Divided into four themed sections exploring Bauhaus’s historical and social context, the understanding of space at the institution, Bauhaus communication and the plethora of design objects produced in Weimar and Dessau, the most interesting and valuable aspect of “The Bauhaus #itsalldesign” promises to be a juxtaposition of works by Bauhaus alumni such as Marcel Breuer, Marianne Brandt and Lyonel Feininger with works by contemporary creatives such as Adrian Sauer, Jerszy Seymour, Konstantin Grcic and Enzo Mari, and the attempt therein to explore the relevance of the Bauhaus legacy on contemporary creativity. For if it has none – what has it?

The Bauhaus. #itsalldesign opens at the Vitra Design Museum, Charles-Eames-Str. 2, 79576 Weil am Rhein on Saturday September 26th and runs until Sunday February 28th

Photograph from an instruction manual for the usage of tools, Thonet brothers, 1935 , (Photo Collection Alexander von Vegesack, Domaine de Boisbuchet, Photographer unknown, courtesy of Vitra Design Museum)

“Sukiya – Japanese Teahouse” at Museum of Finnish Architecture, Helsinki, Finland

There can be fewer more iconic objects in the development of modernism than the Japanese house. With its reduced construction principle, functional elegance and material simplicity the traditional Japanese house is in many ways the archetypal modernist construction. And a form which continues to inspire and motivate in equal measure. Focussing on sukiya, an architectural style traditionally, though not exclusively, used for the construction of teahouses, the Museum of Finnish Architecture will attempt to explain the history and cultural relevance of sukiya while at the same time exploring its modern relevance and role in contemporary Japanese architecture and construction. In addition to a full size sukiya teahouse complete with wooden, bamboo and tatami mats, shoji room dividers and assorted items of furniture, the exhibition will present an exploration of the tools, material and processes involved in sukiya while in a number of workshops artisan craftsman will demonstrate the sukiya technique and so help explain what makes sukiya so unique. And as captivating as ever.

Sukiya – Japanese Teahouse opens at the Museum of Finnish Architecture, Kasarmikatu 24, 00130 Helsinki on Wednesday September 2nd and runs until Sunday November 15th

Sukiya – Japanese Teahouse at Museum of Finnish Architecture

Manifesto. Works by Students and Graduates of the Studio of Glass in Prague at the Kunstgewerbemuseum, Dresden, Germany

Shortly after taking up her position as Director of the Kunstgewerbemuseum Dresden Tulga Beyerle told us that the decision to invite Prague based studios Okolo and Dechem to participate in exhibitions was, at least partly if not exclusively, a way “of demonstrating that a city such as Prague is a location where things are happening and that it makes sense, and is hopefully fun, to learn more about what is happening there.” As a next step in that direction the Kunstgewerbemuseum Dresden are presenting an exhibition of works by Rony Plesl and his students from the Glass Studio of the Prague Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design. In addition to presenting work created during the eight years of Rony Plesl’s tenure as Head of the glass studio in Prague, and thus providing an overview of the direction in which Rony Plesl has taken the institution, Manifesto will also present a selection of works specially created for the exhibition and inspired by the Kunstgewerbemuseum Dresden’s collection – thus continuing the institution’s critical exploration of its collection through the eyes of outsiders.

Manifesto. Works by Students and Graduates of the Studio of Glass in Prague opens at the Kunstgewerbemuseum, Schloss Pillnitz, August-Böckstiegel-Straße 2, 01326 Dresden on Friday September 4th and runs until Sunday November 1st.

Manifesto. Works by Students and Graduates of the Studio of Glass in Prague at the Kunstgewerbemuseum, Dresden, Germany

MINDCRAFT15 at Designmuseum Danmark, Copenhagen, Denmark

One of the joys about having decided to give up trekking to Milan every April is visiting those shows that you invariably would have missed in Milan in other locations. Even when that location is one as mindbogglingly expensive as Copenhagen. Organized by the Danish Agency for Culture MINDCRAFT is an annual exhibition series which presents a curated selection of contemporary Danish craft and design: the 2015 edition being curated by Copenhagen based design studio GamFratesi and featuring works by, amongst others, benandsebastian, Cecilie Manz, Henrik Vibskov and Louise Campbell and as with all MINDCRAFT exhibitions aims to not only provide a succinct overview of contemporary Danish creativity but also explore the contemporary similarities and differences between design and craft.

MINDCRAFT15 opens at the Designmuseum Danmark, Bredgade 68, 1260 Copenhagen K on Friday September 18th and runs until Sunday January 31st

MINDCRAFT15, here at Chiostro Minore di San Simpliciano Milan (Photo: © MINDCRAFT/Jule Hering, Courtesy Designmuseum Danmark