Behind the Curtains
February 25 - April 10, 2005
GJF Bethlehem Square 5a, Prague 1
Curator: Suzanne Mulder
Ani arrived in Prague with a one-year interval, with an exhibition from the Dutch NAI presenting a selection of the latest works from the Rotterdam duo Michiel Riedijk and Willem Jan Neutelings. A catalog titled At work was published for the exhibition, which Jan Neutelings promoted last April during the construction fair in Brno. At that time, the author's lightness and engagement with sensory creation were evident. The exhibition, full of eye-catching models with small captions and without any drawing documentation, at least for a moment liberated my mind from constant architectural thinking and reminded me of the figurative architecture of Svatopluk Sládeček. Even in the Frágner Gallery, I began to look for a giraffe, a hen, or a whale in the models. With Honza Kratochvíl, we saw many of their realizations in the Netherlands, and what was common to all of them was that their inhabitants were satisfied, and the random passersby, like us, were also smiling. Neutelings and Riedijk would probably be offended if I labeled them as continuators of the spirit of postmodernism; however, they will certainly not resist accusations of spreading good mood through their buildings.
The exhibition "Behind the Curtains" presents the work of the architectural studio of Willem Jan Neutelings (born 1959) and Michiel Riedijk (born 1964). Their buildings are monolithic objects with remarkable silhouettes that may resemble exotic animals. Their facades often behave like wallpaper in which the building is wrapped. Their architecture is sculptural, tactile, and sensory, but upon closer inspection, it is full of contrasts: between the exterior and the interior, between rough forms and polished surfaces, between high and low culture, and between colors, materials, and atmospheres. The selection of fifteen buildings in the NAI exhibition focuses on these sculptural and sensory qualities.
Secret Treasures
The exhibition is conceived as a hidden, precious treasure; behind silver curtains, visitors discover a space containing models primarily made for this exhibition. This extraordinary collection of miniatures presents Neutelings Riedijk buildings as rare objects and emphasizes their tangible qualities. The atmosphere is further heightened by the contrast of an entirely dark space and glowing models.
The exhibition features a selection of 15 buildings designed between 1992 and 2003, some of which have never been publicly displayed before, such as: Residential complexes Wijnhaven and Müllerpier in Rotterdam, Lakeshore Housing residential buildings in Huizen, Tower Y, Borneo Sporenburg in Amsterdam, Concert Hall in Bruges, Netherlands Institute for Sound and Vision in Hilversum, Transport and Traffic College in Rotterdam, and the Ministry of the Interior and Justice
Egyptian Museum in Giza. Visitors also have the opportunity to watch a film by Jorda den Hollander, in which the architects explain their visions and work processes.
Revival of Architecture
In the context of Dutch architecture, the work of the Neutelings Riedijk studio represents "heroic realism." The architects work with forms and images derived from folk culture, everyday reality, and architectural history, giving them new meanings. They create iconic buildings using a strong personal aesthetic that resonates with both fellow architects and the general public. Neutelings and Riedijk belong to a generation of architects who have revolutionary influenced the architecture of the last decade by transforming construction rules and methods. In practice, they combine extreme pragmatism with a strong sense of design. They demonstrate that architecture is more than a literal translation of the client's brief, and their work emphasizes aspects such as beauty, sculptural and tactile qualities, and evocation of seduction. Their buildings appeal more to emotions than to reason.
Traveling Exhibition
The exhibition "Behind the Curtains" is the third in a series of traveling productions by NAI, highlighting contemporary trends in Dutch architecture. Currently, two monographic exhibitions are traveling the world - one on MVRDV and one on KCAP/ASTOC. They have already been able to visit Hamburg, Berlin, Prague, Brno, São Paulo, Bern, Melbourne, Sydney, and Jakarta.
Excerpt from the press release
> www.nai.nl
> www.gjf.cz
Petr Šmídek
The exhibition "Behind the Curtains" presents the work of the architectural studio of Willem Jan Neutelings (born 1959) and Michiel Riedijk (born 1964). Their buildings are monolithic objects with remarkable silhouettes that may resemble exotic animals. Their facades often behave like wallpaper in which the building is wrapped. Their architecture is sculptural, tactile, and sensory, but upon closer inspection, it is full of contrasts: between the exterior and the interior, between rough forms and polished surfaces, between high and low culture, and between colors, materials, and atmospheres. The selection of fifteen buildings in the NAI exhibition focuses on these sculptural and sensory qualities.
Secret Treasures
The exhibition is conceived as a hidden, precious treasure; behind silver curtains, visitors discover a space containing models primarily made for this exhibition. This extraordinary collection of miniatures presents Neutelings Riedijk buildings as rare objects and emphasizes their tangible qualities. The atmosphere is further heightened by the contrast of an entirely dark space and glowing models.
The exhibition features a selection of 15 buildings designed between 1992 and 2003, some of which have never been publicly displayed before, such as: Residential complexes Wijnhaven and Müllerpier in Rotterdam, Lakeshore Housing residential buildings in Huizen, Tower Y, Borneo Sporenburg in Amsterdam, Concert Hall in Bruges, Netherlands Institute for Sound and Vision in Hilversum, Transport and Traffic College in Rotterdam, and the Ministry of the Interior and Justice
Egyptian Museum in Giza. Visitors also have the opportunity to watch a film by Jorda den Hollander, in which the architects explain their visions and work processes.
Revival of Architecture
In the context of Dutch architecture, the work of the Neutelings Riedijk studio represents "heroic realism." The architects work with forms and images derived from folk culture, everyday reality, and architectural history, giving them new meanings. They create iconic buildings using a strong personal aesthetic that resonates with both fellow architects and the general public. Neutelings and Riedijk belong to a generation of architects who have revolutionary influenced the architecture of the last decade by transforming construction rules and methods. In practice, they combine extreme pragmatism with a strong sense of design. They demonstrate that architecture is more than a literal translation of the client's brief, and their work emphasizes aspects such as beauty, sculptural and tactile qualities, and evocation of seduction. Their buildings appeal more to emotions than to reason.
Traveling Exhibition
The exhibition "Behind the Curtains" is the third in a series of traveling productions by NAI, highlighting contemporary trends in Dutch architecture. Currently, two monographic exhibitions are traveling the world - one on MVRDV and one on KCAP/ASTOC. They have already been able to visit Hamburg, Berlin, Prague, Brno, São Paulo, Bern, Melbourne, Sydney, and Jakarta.
Excerpt from the press release
> www.nai.nl
> www.gjf.cz
The English translation is powered by AI tool. Switch to Czech to view the original text source.
0 comments
add comment
