FROM THONET TO 'DUTCH DESIGN'

Also highlighted are current topics such as sustainability and the impact of the corona crisis on the Dutch design world. And there’s a treat in store… you may sit on certain pieces of furniture, like Richard Hutten’s Crossing Italy sofa.

Well-known names and surprises

The show spotlights work by renowned and ground-breaking designers such as Michael Thonet, Gerrit Rietveld, Charlotte Perriand, Verner Panton, Ettore Sottsass, Hella Jongerius, Marcel Wanders, and Patrick Jouin. Curator Ingeborg de Roode also chose to include relatively unknown gems by celebrated designers: “I think it’s exciting to broaden the scope a little, for instance by highlighting other Rietveld chairs, rather than his iconic Red and Blue Chair. Produced during the war from almost a single sheet of material, Rietveld’s Aluminium Chair was incredibly innovative because he intended it to be produced in a different material, in one go, anticipating the potential plastics would offer later. Research reveals that we have the prototype in our collection. And in addition to the well-known Scandinavian design - light, wood, organic forms - I selected a-typical, almost baroque pieces, such as an armchair made of sprayed polyurethane foam by Gunnar Aagaard Andersen. It’s a way for us to see design movements we think we know, from an entirely fresh perspective.”

Among the items of furniture, the backbone of the collection, there are relatively few pieces by women designers. Ingeborg de Roode: “That’s why I’m excited that nearly 20% of the objects in the exhibit were created by women (including collectives that contain at least one woman), such as the amazing graphic work by the Dutch designer Bertha Bake, a chair by Charlotte Perriand from the ‘50s, a hobbyhorse by Gloria Caranica and a bench and matching table by the Danish designer Nanna Ditzel. This also gives us a chance to present a slightly more diverse view of design history.”

Designs for children

The Stedelijk staged its first exhibition devoted to the design of children’s toys and furniture in 1965: Kinderspel (Child’s Play). Since then, children’s design has been a key part of the design collection. The exhibit includes a large gallery dedicated to design for children, with work by Charles & Ray Eames, Victor Vasarely, Enzo Mari and Ineke Hans. This space also features a special design: the Stedelijk and HMC, Amsterdam’s craft and design college, jointly launched a competition inviting students to design a piece of furniture for children aged between 2 and 6. 25 hopefuls submitted designs, and the winner was student Rosa Kosto; her De Crux design consists of stools that children can sit on and move in a grid to make their own configuration.

Sustainability

The exhibition ends with contemporary themes such as sustainability, inclusion and the democratization of design. The Scrapwood Cupboard by Piet Hein Eek from 1990, an early example of sustainable material use, is now a widely imitated international design classic. Eek pioneers the more sustainable use of raw materials. Jesse Howard's open design is very democratic: his downloadable (digital) files are blueprints you can follow to make your own household appliances using materials from the hardware store

Impact of the corona pandemic

The gallery devoted to Dutch design also looks at how the corona crisis has impacted the world of design in the Netherlands. Ingeborg de Roode: “We’d already planned on looking at the current position of Dutch designers in the creative industry. Then came the corona crisis. Together with BNO, the professional association for Dutch designers, we conducted a survey on the impact of corona and presented the initial results. And of course, partly digitally, we’re also displaying designs that respond to this crisis." 

Bas van Beek

The Stedelijk invited artist-designer Bas van Beek to advise on the interior and add a contemporary twist. He responded with a number of special interventions, playing with ‘quotes’ from design classics. Bas van Beek blended references to historical designs by Dagobert Peche (Wiener Werkstätte), K.P.C. de Bazel (Nieuwe Kunst), Lambertus Zwiers (Amsterdam School) and Nathalie du Pasquier (Memphis) into new wallcoverings and animations that evoke a unique mood in every gallery. 

Special features

· The exhibition is accompanied by a free audio tour with input from design users, fans and designers, including Pharrell Williams, Ingeborg de Roode, Bas van Beek and Wieki Somers.
· The research of restorer Jurjen Creman and art historian Rob Driessen into the Aluminium Chair by Gerrit Rietveld will be published online during the exhibition.
· 2020 also marks the death, 50 years ago, of sculptor and designer Hildo Krop, one of the most versatile creatives of the Amsterdam School. This year, several institutions will focus on his legacy. Krop was the subject of several solo shows at the Stedelijk in the past, and the current exhibition highlights his sculpture and furniture.
· A monograph by Hans Oldewarris about the work of Amsterdam School luminary, Lambertus Zwiers, famed for his magnificent wallpaper designs, has been published recently. The book will be featured in the museum’s Public Program on October 4. Zwiers exhibited at the Stedelijk in 1917, and in 2011 his grandson donated a significant collection of his designs to the museum. An extensive selection of his designs goes on display here for the first time.

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