inspiration: a tribute to escher
designers and artists reflect on the work of the netherlands' most famous graphic artist, m.c. escher, via various indoor installations in the center of the hague.
a temporary exhibition full of experiences
escher's art continues to fascinate. in the 125th year of escher's birth, new life is breathed into the universe of maurits cornelis escher. selective curator mary hessing van binnenhofbuiten six young artists and designers to shape their visions: teun zwets, the duo alissa + nienke, iris toonen, grietje schepers, berndnaut smilde and the duo leon de bruijne and willem van doorn.
mc's mindgames is an experience route along six special installations around the binnenhof. at each location, an interior has been designed in a special way by a unique designer or artist who reflects on escher's work. the concept extends the effect of popular Instagram museums to the special aesthetics of presentations at the salone del mobile in milan.
you can visit mc's mindgames from october 6th to 29th on thu-sun, in the museum quarter in the hague, on addresses: huize voorhout at lange voorhout 78 and kazernestraat 23a.
unique installations
escher's art continues to fascinate. the escher year provides a good impetus to breathe new life into the magical universe of m.c. escher.
image by ronald smits
teun zwets - kamer in groen
teun zwets is a practical designer who makes new objects from strips of sawing waste. the fact that it is sustainable is a nice bonus, but teun mainly does it because he enjoys puzzling his way until a chair, bed or table becomes recognizable. teun's method creates contours that look somewhat strange, but also sympathetic. during dutch design week 2022, teun's 'night watch' was very popular with visitors, who responded enthusiastically to the cornflower blue room for the night porter of the new hotel piet hein eek. for mc's mindgames, teun packed his own world of thought in a closed box that contrasts sharply with the stately interior of Huize Voorhout.
location: lange voorhout 78, the hague
image by ronald smits
alissa + nienke - metamorphosis
at milan's salone del mobile in 2022, alissa + nienke's installation surprised with a mix of ethereal futurism and tactile craftsmanship. the young designers are inquisitive makers who integrate technical solutions into their textile and interior assignments. for example, they developed sun protection for the ministry of culture and science that responds to sunlight and opens and closes like a flower. they also enjoy working for healthcare institutions where patients respond positively to a tactile environment. alissa + nienke believe that the sensory experience of a space is often underestimated; perhaps subconsciously, but sound characterises the experience of architecture just like color or a different finish.
location: lange voorhout 78, the hague
image by ronald smits
iris toonen - three worlds
tissues are as old as the world, but they also appear to be highly future-proof. an almost infinite wealth of colours, materials and patterns has enormous appeal to innovative minds such as iris toonen. as a textile designer, iris experiments with the constructive properties of weaving and building. her recent installations woven bricks present a fusion of soft and hard elements: fabrics of wool and steel in combination with glass building blocks. the image is unusual and recognizable: a grid of wires supports a masonry bond of reflective bricks.
see our reel about this amazing installation here.
location: kazernestraat 23a, the hague
image by ronald smits
grietje schepers - sleeping gold 2.0
designers such as grietje schepers, who studied at the design academy eindhoven, think conceptually. that attitude usually leads to unusual solutions. these can sometimes take the form of functional products, but also often tend towards visual art. grietje developed a great sense of transforming a small thought into a grand gesture. with a keen eye for material, color and experiment, she creates monumental installations that almost overwhelm the visitor with strong colors and spatial effect. sleeping gold 2.0 seems to breathe and looks like a fictional natural phenomenon. grietje exhibited earlier variants at zero power smart fashion in new york and the museum of craft and design san francisco.
location: lange voorhout 78, the hague
information sources: thisisthehague