Barbar, Batara: Anne Holtrop’s immersive models take over Solo Gallerie

Paris-based gallery Solo has just launched its third ever show; a new exhibition by inspiring and unconventional Dutch architect Anne Holtrop. The exhibit, titled 'Barbar, Batara', draws on photographer Bas Princen’s series on Petra, Jordan and the excavation of the Barbar Temple in Bahrain.
For most, architecture is defined by the physical presence of bricks, mortar, concrete and glass, but not for Holtrop. Instead, the architect sources his inspiration from the unexpected. ‘The way someone can see a butterfly or a lake in the ink blots of a Rorschach test. I want to look freely – more or less without a plan', explains Holtrop.
The first part of the show – 'Batara' – is a collection of five immersive full scale models. These 'objects' are sand casted walls without doors or windows and without a specific function. They have little relation to a specific typology or architectural style, referencing instead something ‘prehistoric and primitive,’ says Holtrop.
The project began with a visit to the ancient city of Petra, where Holtrop drew inspiration from the transition from natural to man-made, which Princen’s photography captured over the duration of his visit. The walls of this installation reflect this particular aesthetic. ‘Concrete or plaster is poured directly into pits of earth or sand, giving the walls a smoothness on one side and a rough, uneven surface on the other’, says the architect.
‘Barbar’, the second part of the exhibit, is a series based on the rediscovery of the Barbar Temple in Bahrain in 1954 and the excavations of the site which continued up until 1962. Taking cues from the temple’s formal language, Holtrop uses arches and straight lines to form a loose pattern to create an interior atmosphere that pays tribute to the monument. A collection of forms carved out of pink marble resulted from this investigation, which Holtrop named Floor.
The exhibit draws inspiration from photographer Bas Princen’s series on Petra, Jordan and the excavation of the Barbar Temple in Bahrain
Architecture, for most is defined by the physical presence of bricks, mortar, concrete and glass, but for Holtrop it has no preconceived form
’Barbar’, the second part of the exhibit, is a series based on the rediscovery of the Barbar Temple in Bahrain, 1954. Linked to this studfy is Holtrop’s newly released collection of unique forms carved from pink marble
’Batara’ is a collection of five full scale models. These objects are sand casted walls without doors or windows and without a specific function
INFORMATION
’Barbar, Batara’ will run at Solo Galerie until 7 May. For further information visit the Solo Galerie website
ADDRESS
Solo Galerie
11 Rue des Arquebusiers
75003 Paris
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
-
A 432 Park Avenue apartment is an art-filled family home among the clouds
At 432 Park Avenue, inside and outside compete for starring roles; welcome to a skyscraping, art-filled apartment in Midtown Manhattan
-
Kitchen Trends 2026: luminosity, colour, and unexpected materiality
These are kitchen trends shaping interior design in 2026, from collaborative kitchens to warm luminosity
-
A gallery in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales showcases work inspired by nature
Thorns Gallery opens in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales, with founders Jonathan Reed and Graeme Black aiming to showcase artworks inspired by the natural world
-
Eileen Gray: A guide to the pioneering modernist’s life and work
Gray forever shaped the course of design and architecture. Here's everything to know about her inspiring career
-
The Grand Palais is a Parisian architectural feast, emerging from a mammoth restoration project
The Grand Palais reopens, unfurling its spectacular architectural splendour, meticulously restored by Chatillon Architectes – take a tour
-
Surrealist townhouse Villa Junot lights up Montmartre – and it’s for rent
We go inside Montmartre’s Villa Junot, a former composer’s home reimagined by interior design studio Claves, where surrealism meets art deco splendour
-
A Venice sneak peek into the new Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain by Jean Nouvel
A new home for Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain by Jean Nouvel will open later this year in Paris; in the meantime, the Venice Architecture Biennale 2025 offered the perfect platform for a sneak preview of what's to come
-
Stay in a Parisian apartment which artfully balances minimalism and warmth
Tour this pied-a-terre in the 7th arrondissement, designed by Valeriane Lazard
-
Marta Pan and André Wogenscky's legacy is alive through their modernist home in France
Fondation Marta Pan – André Wogenscky: how a creative couple’s sculptural masterpiece in France keeps its authors’ legacy alive
-
The museum of the future: how architects are redefining cultural landmarks
What does the museum of the future look like? As art evolves, so do the spaces that house it – pushing architects to rethink form and function
-
Paris’ architecturally fascinating Villejuif-Gustave Roussy metro station is now open
Villejuif-Gustave Roussy is part of the new Grand Paris Express, a transport network that will raise the architectural profile of the Paris suburbs