Archive Rath & Doodeheefver by Lernert & Sander
Het Nieuwe Instituut has commissioned the artist duo Lernert & Sander to design a spatial installation and live performance based on the historical collection of wallpaper manufacturer Rath & Doodeheefver at the Salone del Mobile, the international design fair in Milan. This wallpaper company worked with H.P. Berlage and others in the 1920s, and its products occupied a prominent place in Dutch interiors right up to the 1980s. The installation Archive Rath & Doodeheefver by Lernert & Sander, on display in Milan from 8 to 13 April, 2014, arose out of collaboration with AkzoNobel, the current owner of the Rath & Doodeheefver archive.
By so emphatically focusing on a design archive in Milan, Het Nieuwe Instituut wants to raise the subject of preserving archives among the international design public. The very existence of various design archives is threatened, and that will inevitably lead to a loss of memory in this sector. Will that result in the disappearance of an indispensable source of inspiration, knowledge and reinterpretation for contemporary designers? Or is the lack of a collective memory the vital hallmark of the design domain?
The installation Archive Rath & Doodeheefver by Lernert & Sander developed by the artists after extensive research in the company archives has thrown up such questions. Through their installation they explore themes such as material, the separation between inside and outside, and the relation between heritage and current concerns. The project in Milan forms part of the Landscape and Interior multiyear programme. More information: handout and images
Lernert & Sander
Lernert Engelberts (1977) and Sander Plug (1969) are two artists based in Amsterdam. They make conceptual films and installations characterised by, among other things, a sense of humour. They have worked for Kenzo, Victor & Rolf, Wallpaper*, Brioni tailors, Sikkens Foundation, Fantastic Man and Amnesty International.
Lernert & Sander. Archive Rath & Doodeheefver
Opening and networking reception
In collaboration with the Netherlands Consulate General in Milan and the Creative Industries Fund NL, Het Nieuwe Instituut is hosting a networking reception at the Lambretto Art Project in the Lambrate district on 7 April from 8 to 10.30 p.m. Also on show at the same venue are exhibitions by Design Academy Eindhoven, the Zuiderzeemuseum and the TextielMuseum and the design label chp...? - jewelry in context.
Archive Rath & Doodeheefver by Lernert & Sander is supported by AkzoNobel