Two different modernist visions will be coming to the Henry Moore Institute in complimentary exhibitions featuring two of post-war Europe's most striking artists.
In the main gallery:
Fake/Function
Thomas Schütte: Early Work
Thomas Schütte (b.1954), now regarded as one of Germany’s foremost sculptors, had astonishing early success with a group of works which, hung on the wall and referencing forms such as tiles, wallpaper and garlands. This exhibition, timed to coincide with the unveiling of Schütte's sculpture for the fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square, brings together for the first time the complete set of these early 'decorative' works which use theatrical trompe l’oeil to transform interior spaces.
'Grosse Mauer' by Thomas Schuette
Even before he left the Art Academy in Düsseldorf, Thomas Schütte's work was much in demand. This exhibition brings together the work he made in those years. It demonstrates how it set out to solve problems – often defined by the terms of the site and the commission – and how its use of illusion allowed it to hover on the threshold between the decorative and the applied, the fake and the functional.
In contrast with his later work, Schütte's early work was light-weight and variable in dimension. Using the techniques of both traditional stage design and of contemporary conceptual art, he deployed multiple components – wallpapers, bricks, tiles and rings – across the wall’s surface. Alongside these illusory facades, the exhibition will show how Schütte used other classic decorative techniques – such as pairing, grouping and arranging – to question the nature of art and illusion.
In the mezzanine gallery:
Indoors and Out: The Sculpture and Design of Bernard Schottlander
Bernard Schottlander (1924-1999) was known as a designer before he was known as a sculptor, showcased by the Council of Industrial Design in the post-war years with his elegantly profiled furniture and fittings. He went on to transpose his designs for the interior space onto the plazas created by the high-rise office blocks of the time. This exhibition looks at the overlaps between his sculpture and his design (drawn respectively from the Institute’s Archive and the University of Brighton Design Archives) and at their common sources. Schottlander was originally trained at Leeds College of Art and Design and this is the first retrospective since his death.
Maquette for 3B Series - Schottlander
One of the many German Jewish immigrants to Britain, arriving at the onset of war, his early training as a welder and plater was supplemented by evening classes in sculpture at Leeds College of Art. While maintaining this interest Schottlander went on to study industrial design at the Central School of Arts and Crafts in London before setting up a small business manufacturing his own designs. The simple forms and primary colours of his sophisticated designs appealed to post-war architects and throughout the 1950s his work was included in the Council of Industrial Design's 'Design Review'.
Schottlander produced ash trays for the National Theatre, chairs and lamps. His Evening Standard news-stands were used for decades - instant classics which soon became ubiquitous. Despite this recognition, in 1963 Schottlander made a switch to becoming a full-time sculptor and had his first solo show at the Architectural Association, London in 1964. Numerous public commissions followed and now his work can be seen all over Britain, from the University of Warwick to London and Milton Keynes.
By taking his work outside, into the plazas created by the high-rise office blocks of the post-war years, he created a type of urban furniture which evolved from his work indoors. Drawing on the Henry Moore Institute Archive and the University of Brighton Design Archives, this exhibition will feature largely unknown design and sculptural work and offers the opportunity to compare his output in both disciplines.
Both exhibitions run from Sunday 23 September 2007 until Thursday 6 January 2008 at the Henry Moore Institute, The Headrow, Leeds
Take a look at images from both exhibitions in our gallery:
