Sabine Marcelis creates rainbow of furniture for Vitra Design Museum
Designer Sabine Marcelis was invited to create an immersive installation for Vitra Design Museum, rearranging its Schaudepot location into a rainbow of furniture (on view until May 2023)
![Orange and yellow furniture on shelves](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ztrq9BoD85HAjfgj2nwyYD-415-80.jpg)
For its annual exhibition at the Herzog & de Meuron-designed Schaudepot, Vitra Design Museum invited designer Sabine Marcelis to explore its archives and create a visually arresting, rainbow-inspired furniture arrangement. Titled ‘Colour Rush!’, the exhibition (on view until May 2023) is a fitting project for Marcelis, whose use of colour is one of the defining elements of her design practice.
Working with the collection’s curator and almost 400 exhibits, Marcelis focused on colour to present the collection in a new light, eschewing traditional museum display styles to focus on a chromatic narrative. Historical objects and documents from the archives dotted around the exhibition complement the presentation, illustrating how creatives from different eras have approached the theme of colour.
‘Our world is full of colour. Its various shades unleash emotions, assist orientation, indicate functions or perils, and mark cultural, political, professional, or religious identities,’ reads a statement from the museum introducing the project. ‘Although each of us perceives colours in their own way, all times and cultures have symbols and traditions distinguished by specific hues.’
Dubbed ‘an homage to the role of colour in design across all periods and styles’, the presentation transforms Vitra Schaudepot from a functional archive-style space into a chromatic folly, where colour and material take centre stage to form a deeper analysis of our chromatic preference when creating the spaces we live in.
Through the contemporary design objects on display, Marcelis makes us reflect on the ways colour has been used by some of the world’s most influential designers. Examples include Le Corbusier’s graded palettes, and the vivid hues of Verner Panton, which helped define 1960s and 1970s interior design. Sketches by Panton are accompanied by further materials from Alexander Girard, Hella Jongerius and more, while a further scientific insight into the topic is offered by a display of standardised colour sorting systems, from RAL to Pantone.
INFORMATION
‘Colour Rush!’ is on view until May 2023
design-museum.de
sabinemarcelis.com
Wallpaper* Newsletter + Free Download
For a free digital copy of August Wallpaper*, celebrating Creative America, sign up today to receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories
ADDRESS
Charles-Eames-Straße 2
79576 Weil am Rhein
Germany
Rosa Bertoli was born in Udine, Italy, and now lives in London. Since 2014, she has been the Design Editor of Wallpaper*, where she oversees design content for the print and online editions, as well as special editorial projects. Through her role at Wallpaper*, she has written extensively about all areas of design. Rosa has been speaker and moderator for various design talks and conferences including London Craft Week, Maison & Objet, The Italian Cultural Institute (London), Clippings, Zaha Hadid Design, Kartell and Frieze Art Fair. Rosa has been on judging panels for the Chart Architecture Award, the Dutch Design Awards and the DesignGuild Marks. She has written for numerous English and Italian language publications, and worked as a content and communication consultant for fashion and design brands.
-
‘Hedonistic and avant-garde’: Rabanne’s Julian Dossena on the legacy of the chainmail 1969 bag
Paco Rabanne’s 1969 chainmail handbag encapsulates the late designer’s futuristic, space-age style. Current creative director Julien Dossena tells Wallpaper* about the bag’s particular pleasures
By Jack Moss Published
-
Postcard from Paris: Olympic fever takes over the streets
On the eve of the opening ceremony of Paris 2024, our correspondent shares her views from the streets of the capital about how the event is impacting the urban landscape.
By Minako Norimatsu Published
-
The Mercury Prize nominees for 2024 have been revealed
Charli XCX, The Last Dinner Party and Beth Gibbons are amongst this year's nominees
By Charlotte Gunn Published