Art in architecture – architecture in art

Art in architecture – architecture in art

How does contemporary art relate to architecture and what role does art play in architecture? This is the question that will be discussed at the National Museum this autumn. The exhibition “Louis Kahn – The Power of Architecture” is being shown in two parts:  part 1 in the Museum of Contemporary Art and part 2 in the National Museum – Architecture. The latter venue is also showing the exhibition “Inside Outside Architecture”, an international group exhibition featuring visual artists who work with architecture. 

Louis Kahn – a history-making American architect

American Louis Kahn (1901–1974) is considered one of the most important architects of the 20^th century. He has also inspired a number of prominent Norwegian architects. Kahn’s architecture is characterised by its timeless monumentality and masterly use of light and materials.

 The exhibition presents some 40 realised and unrealised projects, the majority of them from the USA. Original models, architects’ drawings and sketches, photographs and films, and newly constructed models show well-known qualities as well as hitherto unknown sides of Kahn’s work.

“Louis Kahn – The Power of Architecture” is an exhibition produced by Vitra Design Museum, Weil am Rhein, in cooperation with the Architectural Archives of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, and NAI, part of the Nieuwe Instituut, Rotterdam.

Inside Outside Architecture – architecture in contemporary art

How does contemporary art relate to architecture? In conjunction with part 1 of the Louis Kahn exhibition, an international group exhibition featuring visual artists who work with architecture is also being shown.

Some artists use architecture as a source or raw material, while others explore new housing concepts in a world in which living conditions are undergoing rapid change.

The works of art on view range from large installations that explore constructive processes to photographs that analyse architectonic structures and sculptures that chart space or explore the intimacy of the interior and include new commissions alongside works from the National Museum’s own collection.

The exhibition presents works by Thomas Florschuetz, Olaf Holzapfel, Marte Johnslien, Ola Kolehmainen, Ingrid Lønningdal, David Maljković, Vibeke Slyngstad, and Øystein Aasan. The exhibition has been curated by the National Museum’s Director for Contemporary Art, Sabrina van der Ley, and is being shown in the Museum of Contemporary Art in conjunction with part 1 of the architecture exhibition “Louis Kahn – The Power of Architecture”.

Event programme

The two exhibitions are accompanied by a full supporting event programme. Two of the upcoming highlights are:

Friday, 18 October at 17.00 in the National Museum - Architecture:
17.00: MY ARCHITECT. A Son’s Journey. The filmmaker Nathaniel Kahn, Louis Kahn's son, will give an introduction preceding the screening of the movie.

NB! Limited seating capacity, advance registration required: http://kahn1.eventbrite.com

21 November 2013 at 17.30 in the Museum of Contemporary Art:
The future is paid for by the past, a lecture about Louis Kahn’s museum buildings as seen from an artist’s point of view by Norwegian contemporary artist Øystein Aasan.