BEIRUT AND THE GOLDEN SIXTIES
2022
With Andreas Lechthaler architectsBEIRUT AND THE GOLDEN SIXTIES
2022
Exhibition design for Gropiusbau, Curated by Sam Barbaouil & Till Fellrath
To shape the exhibition, large structures cut through the gallery walls, grouped per theme, providing a continuous and defining character to the show. The newly installed structures make the visitor rediscover the spaces of Gropiusbau, creating new perspectives or intimate corners. The large fabric-printed images draped over the structure, make use of the impressive height of the gallery.
As the exhibition unfolds, the structures begin to disintegrate, becoming fragile skeletal frames, mirroring the tumultuous history of Lebanon.
The design is centred around reuse. The exhibition walls are strapped around existing vitrines for stability. Thematically these two parts also work together: The wall side for hanging artworks and the vitrine side for supportive archival material.
Exhibition posters from the sixties are presented behind reused plexi sheets, and sculptures were coupled with glass hoods from storage. The chipboard walls remain unpainted and – as much as possible – uncut, so we can still imagine a future use. The timber frames are standardised throughout the entire show, so they can easily be dismantled and repurposed for future exhibitions.