We published our first exhibition recommendations list in November 2013, and have diligently, and joyfully, ended every month since with a list of five architecture and design related exhibitions opening in the coming month that appear worthy of a recommendation.
A tradition we very much planned to continue in July 2021 for August 2021.
And would have; however, having undertaken our regular tour through our database of international museums and galleries, we can find but two exhibitions opening in August 2021 we, in all good conscience, can recommend. And while we don't always stick religiously to the 5 in months of scarcity, 2 is... 2 few. And so we'll find another way to integrate them into the blog.
August is always slow for new exhibitions, primarily because, and certainly in the USA and Europe, everyone is on holiday; however, we get the feeling that August 2021's paucity is related to the realities of the past few months.
Any exhibition is the result of years of planning, years of planning that never feels quite long enough, and events such as a Covid pandemic that eats into that limited time have a very real effect on the preparation and realisation of exhibitions; meaning that all museums have been forced to reschedule their programmes, a rescheduling that in addition to a great many, and regrettable, cancellations has seen many museums extend the runs of those exhibitions that are open until the accrued losses in time can be made good.
And which, we very much get the feeling, means many museums are waiting for autumn 2021 (northern hemisphere)/spring 2021 (southern hemisphere) to launch new exhibitions, to re-set their programmes and planning schedules. Which means that for September 2021 and October 2021 we may very well get two lists for each month. All going to plan.
But means for August 2021, rather than 5 new openings... 32 architecture and design exhibitions already running that are, or certainly appear to be, worthy of a recommendation.
And as ever in these times, if you are planning visiting any exhibition please familiarise yourself in advance with the current ticketing, entry, safety, hygiene, cloakroom, etc rules and systems. And during your visit please stay safe, stay responsible, and above all, stay curious……
Berlin, Germany
Luigi Colani and Art Nouveau at the Bröhan-Museum #smowblog @ Luigi Colani and Art Nouveau
Anything Goes? Berlin Architecture in the 1980s at the Berlinische Galerie #smowblog @ Anything Goes?
Braun 100 at the Bröhan-Museum #smowblog @ Braun 100
Hella Jongerius: Woven Cosmos at the Gropius Bau
The Early Years. Mart Stam, the Institute and the Collection for Industrial Design at the Werkbundarchiv – Museum der Dinge #smowblog @ The Early Years. Mart Stam, the Institute and the Collection for Industrial Design
Brussels, Belgium Chaise. Stoel. Chair. Defining Design at the Design Museum Brussels
Kolding, Denmark Arne Jacobsen – Designing Denmark at Trapholt #smowblog @ Arne Jacobsen – Designing Denmark
Metz, France Aerodream. Architecture, design and inflatable structures 1950-2020 at the Centre Pompidou-Metz
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA Shofuso and Modernism at Shofuso
‘s-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands Radical Austria – Everything is Architecture at Design Museum Den Bosch
Aalborg, Denmark Formens magi – design og kunst at Kunsten Museum of Modern Art
Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, USA With Eyes Opened: Cranbrook Academy of Art Since 1932 at Cranbrook Art Museum
Chemnitz, Germany simson, diamant, erika. Formgestaltung von Karl Clauss Dietel at the Kunstsammlungen #smowblog @ simson, diamant, erika. Formgestaltung von Karl Clauss Dietel
The City. Between Skyline and Latrine at the smac – Staatliches Museum für Archäologie
Eisenhüttenstadt, Germany Endless Beginning. The Transformation of the Socialist City at Museum Utopie und Alltag
Frankfurt, Germany Back to Future – Technical visions between fiction and reality at the Museum für Kommunikation #smowblog @ Back to Future – Technical visions between fiction and reality
Helsinki, Finland Iittala – Kaleidoscope from Nature to Culture at Designmuseo
Hornu, Belgium Kaspar Hamacher. Mother Earth at CID – centre d’innovation et de design au Grand-Hornu
Karlsruhe, Germany Inventing Nature. Pflanzen in der Kunst at the Kunsthalle
Leipzig, Germany Chairs. For children only! at the Grassi Museum für Angewandte Kunst #smowblog @ Chairs. For children only!
Cultural Affairs. Art without Borders at the Grassi Museum für Angewandte Kunst #smowblog @ Cultural Affairs. Art without Borders
Milan, Italy Enzo Mari curated by Hans Ulrich Obrist with Francesca Giacomelli at the Triennale Milano #smowblog @ Enzo Mari curated by Hans Ulrich Obrist with Francesca Giacomelli
Munich, Germany AI. Robotics. Design at Die Neue Sammlung – The Design Museum
Oslo, Norway Concrete in Transition. The architect Erling Viksjø and his artist collaborators at The National Museum
Rome, Italy Aldo Rossi. The Architect and the Cities at MAXXI
Stockholm, Sweden 1970s. High & low in Swedish furniture design at the Museum of Furniture Studies
Ulm, Germany HfG Ulm: Exhibition Fever at the HfG-Archiv
Vienna, Austria Women Artists of the Wiener Werkstätte at the MAK – Museum für angewandte Kunst
Weil am Rhein, Germany German Design 1949–1989. Two Countries, One History at the Vitra Design Museum #smowblog @ German Design 1949–1989. Two Countries, One History
Memphis: 40 Years of Kitsch and Elegance at the Vitra Design Museum Gallery #smowblog @ Memphis: 40 Years of Kitsch and Elegance
Wrocław, Poland Regeneration Field at Dizajn Gallery, BWA Wrocław
Zürich, Switzerland Le Corbusier and Color at Museum für Gestaltung, Pavillon Le Corbusier
