Did you know that you can visit three European countries once you arrive to Basel? Basel itself is a Swiss city, then you have France just a few minutes away to the West and Germany to the North of the city. So this is why one of the chilly but sunny mornings during my stay in Basel, I decided to cross the border. It only took me half an hour to do that and I had my breakfast in Germany – in a small town called Weil am Rhein. Even though there are only around 30 thousand inhabitants in Weil am Rhein, this town has one of the most important design museums in Europe. This famous design museum together with other architecture jewels is part of Vitra Campus which was my destination on this occasion.
The whole ensemble of contemporary architecture is located in Charles Eames street 2. Ray and Charles Eames were the initial reason why the Vitra furniture company was founded in 1957. This historical collaboration was followed by many other iconic designer works that can now be seen at Vitra Campus.
Vitra production site was successfully functioning when in 1981 a lightning struck the campus and half of it was gone in the fire. This devastating incident was turned into an opportunity to create a unique space with buildings by some of the most notable architects of the late 20th century.
On my visit I could observe the first out of Japan project by Tadao Ando (Pavillion was built in 1993), the first project by Frank Gehry /cover photo/ in his now signature style with curves (Design Museum was built in 1989), one of the first Zaha Hadid’s design projects (Fire Station was built in 1993) between other projects built later by equally important architects including Vitra Haus by Herzog & de Meuron completed in 2010.
Vitra Schaudepot premises (also by Herzog & de Meuron) hold a permanent exhibition with a selection of over 400 key objects from Vitra history and from furniture design history in general. I could find chairs from the 1800s until today including fantastic designs by Gerrit Rietveld, Le Corbusier or Frank Lloyd Wright to mention a few.
“Home Stories: 100 Years, 20 Visionary Interiors” is a temporary exhibition on view now at the main Design Museum building. It is open for visitors until 23 of August this year. Curated by Jochen Eisenbrand & Anna-Mea Hoffman this project shows drawings, films, photographs and furniture models of the exceptional and significant interiors from the 1920s to the present day.
One of the designs from the “Home Stories” is displayed at the Fire Station. “Phantasy Landscape” by Verner Panton is a recreation from 1970. It is a cave-like tunnel constructed from the upholstered irregular pieces in 13 colors. It invites the viewer to come inside and experience the dreamy space which I obviously did with pleasure! A projection with the original installation at “Visiona 1970” can be viewed next to it while sitting on the unmistakable Panton chairs.
I spent around three hours exploring Vitra Campus and it was already lunchtime when I reached Depot Deli. Depot Deli is one of the two spaces available for your snack break or even a good lunch. The second cafeteria is located at the main Vitra Hause building where the flagship furniture store and the Lounge Chair Atelier is.
While enjoying my visit so much, I realized that Vitra Campus could be even more beautiful during the summer months: it has got cozy green areas prepared for picnics and a few smaller installations like the Dome by Richard Buckminster or metallic Airstream Kiosk that were closed now. You can find more information about this “nest of creativity” at their official website, and I will definitely try to revisit it in a few years and during summertime.
This is my constantly morphing grimoire that can awaken or feed your curiosity through my personal selection of art, books, music, and wunderkammer.
Due to the current public health situation, some of the exhibitions are still closed. We will be updating the list as soon as the galleries and museums start reopening.
Edward Hopper at Fondation Beyeler in Basel until 26 July 2020 REOPENED!
Albertina Modern in Vienna NEWLY OPENED with The Beginning. until 8 November 2020
Urara Tsuchiya at ADA in Rome on view NOW
André Butzer at Galerie Max Hetzler in Berlin until 1 August 2020 ON VIEW NOW
British Surrealism at Dulwich Picture Gallery in London, POSTPONED
Brueghel at Palacio de Gaviria in Madrid until 12 April 2020
Helena Rubinstein´s collection at Branly-Jacques Chirac Museum, Paris REOPENING 9 June 2020
Roger Ballen at Halle Saint Pierre, Paris until 31 July 2020 REOPENED
Cindy Sherman at Louis Vuitton Foundation in Paris, 1 April – 31 August 2020 POSTPONED
Stranger Than Kindness: The Nick Cave Exhibition at The Black Diamond in Copenhaguen, 8 June 2020 – 13 February 2021
The Fantastic Women of Surrealism at Louisiana Museum in Copenhagen, 18 June – 27 September 2020
Alex Katz at Thyssen-Bornemisza in Madrid 23 June – 4 October 2020 (to be confirmed)
PRADA. Front and Back at The Design Museum in London, September 2020
London Design Biennale at Somerset House in London, 8 -27 September 2020
David Hockney at NPG, London 27 February – 28 June 2020 Closed
Kimono: Kiyoto to Catwalk at V&A in London, 29 February 2020
Artemisia at NPG in London, 4 April 2020 – 26 July 2020
Zanele Muholi at Tate Modern in London, 29 April 2020 – 18 October 2020 Closed
Cao Fei: Blueprints at Serpentine Galleries in London, 4 March 2020 – 17 May 2020 Closed
Mondrian and De Stijl at Reina Sofia in Madrid, 13 May – 14 September 2020
Lynette Yiadom-Boakye at Tate Britain, London 19 May – 31 August 2020 Closed
Reverb: Sound into Art at Hayward Gallery, London 24 June 2020 – 6 September 2020
Yayoi Kusama at Gropius Bau, Berlin 4 September 2020 – 17 January 2021
Marina Abramovic at RAA, London 26 September – 8 December 2020
Soutine/De Kooning at l´Orangerie Museum, Paris 6 October 2020 – 25 January 2021
The EY Exhibition: Rodin at Tate Modern in London, 21 October 2020 – 21 February 2021
La Máquina Magritte at Thyssen-Bornemisza in Madrid 27 October 2020 – 28 February 2021
Maria Bartuszová at Tate Modern in London, 11 November 2020 – 18 April 2021
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Discover with me the sublime world of "Wunderkammer". The Place, the cabinet of curiosities in its best virtual version.
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A glimpse into the opinions of people whose work is related to art. Read about how each of them sees the world and the creative process.
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"Art is
the highest
form of Hope"
-G.Richter