Nieuwe Instituut celebrates 30 years of Droog Design in Milan and Rotterdam
From 2 May 2023, the Nieuwe Instituut celebrates the 30th anniversary of Droog, the innovative and rebellious Dutch design collective. The Droog30. Design or Non-Design? exhibition presents pioneering and iconic designs from a label that, over the years, has generated as much controversy as it has affection. The exhibition can be seen first at the Triennale Milano from 15 to 24 April, during Milan Design Week / Salone del Mobile.
14 March 2023
Droog30. Design or Non-Design? celebrates the brazenly insubordinate reality of Droog and our renewed appreciation for the celebrated Dutch brand. Since its foundation in Milan in 1993, Droog has established itself as something other. The collective opposed ‘dry’ (droog) functionalism, instead treating design as an art form capable of expressing humour and being accessible to all.
With this attitude, Droog created a groundbreaking design movement that was not just a trendsetter, but a game changer. The Droog philosophy has been mimicked by countless brands over the past thirty years, while its designs have found their way into the collections of the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, and many more.
Says Aric Chen, the general and artistic director at the Nieuwe Instituut: “Droog brought its dry wit and subversive tendencies to a global audience — and design would never be the same again. The group managed to make its mark on the world thirty years ago as the last pre-internet design movement, so when we look back over its history, we wonder how far we’ve come since then, and where we are heading from here.”
The Exhibition
In the exhibition, curators Maria Cristina Didero and Richard Hutten - one of Droog’s founders - reveal the impact of the brand from its foundation to the present day. Naturally, they also showcase emblematic, witty, provocative and sometimes downright outlandish designs from Droog’s 30-year history. Highlights include Tejo Remy’s Chest of Drawers, Marcel Wanders’ Knotted Chair, and Cross, the cross-shaped table and bench by Hutten himself. There are videos too, compiled especially for the exhibition by curator Maria Cristina Didero and director Francesca Molteni, with anecdotes from Droog’s designers and commentary from other design experts.
In line with Droog’s contrarian mentality, visitors are also given the opportunity to share their own thoughts about the label. An interactive space presents uncensored reactions and comments made by fans and critics on social media. Visitors are encouraged to leave a comment.
Additional information
Droog30. Design or Non-Design? is a collaboration between the Nieuwe Instituut, Droog and Triennale Milano. The exhibition can be seen in Milan from 15 to 23 April during Milan Design Week / Salone del Mobile, and then from 2 May to 27 August at the Nieuwe Instituut in Rotterdam.
For more information, see https://nieuweinstituut.nl/en/projects/droog-30
Note to editors, not for publication
Images
All the available press images can be found here.
Press preview in Milan
All press attending the Milano Design Week / Salone del Mobile are invited to preview the exhibition at the Triennale di Milano (Sempione Park, Viale Emilio Alemagna 6).
Nieuwe Instituut is organizing a meeting here for press and other guests on 19 April at 5:00 PM. The Triennale Milano organizes its own press day on 14 April.
To find out more about these options, and for any other questions and requests, please contact:
Robin van Essel
Press Officer
r.vanessel@nieuweinstituut.nl
+31 (0)6 3803 9218
Over Nieuwe Instituut
Nieuwe Instituut in Rotterdam is het nationale museum en instituut voor architectuur, design en digitale cultuur. Het instituut wil laten zien hoe krachtig nieuwe (ontwerp)ideeën kunnen zijn. Het doel is om een betere toekomst te verbeelden, uit te proberen en in de praktijk te brengen door samen stil te staan bij denkbeelden van vroeger, nu en later. Bezoekers worden aangemoedigd om vragen te stellen, mee te denken en zo zelf een bijdrage te leveren. De tentoonstellingen, het onderzoek, de evenementen en andere initiatieven die het instituut in binnen- en buitenland ontwikkelt, vormen samen een proeftuin. Toonaangevende ontwerpers, denkers en uiteenlopende publieksgroepen werken er samen aan een kritische benadering van actuele vraagstukken.
Nieuwe Instituut huisvest de Rijkscollectie voor Nederlandse Architectuur en Stedenbouw, en beheert Huis Sonneveld, een toonaangevend voorbeeld uit 1933 van Nederlandse functionalistische architectuur in het Rotterdamse Museumpark.
Nieuwe Instituut is 's werelds eerste Zoöp, een baanbrekend organisatiemodel waarbij alle aspecten van de activiteiten en programmering van het museum worden bepaald door de impact op en het nut voor andere vormen van leven. Het instituut is opdrachtgever van het Nederlandse paviljoen op de Internationale Architectuurtentoonstelling van La Biennale di Venezia, en treedt in 2023 op als artistiek directeur van de vierde editie van London Design Biënnale in Somerset House (1-25 juni 2023).