Spaces without drama

“Spaces without drama or surface is an illusion, but so is depth” is the latest exhibition at The Graham Foundation in Chicago, which examines the recent proliferation of collage in architectural representation in relationship to scenography and theatrical set design.

  The exhibition uses the Graham Foundation’s historic Madlener House galleries as a double stage – a staging of mise-en-scénes to present contemporary and historic photographs, models, and drawings, as well as newly commissioned projects including movies, installations, and performance. Based on historical references such as nineteenth-century toy theaters, as well as Twentieth century models such as Aldo Rossi’s Little Scientific Theater, and David Hockney’s stage design for the Magic Flute, the project invites contemporary practitioners to rethink the ways in which architecture is created in relationship to theatricality and how it oscillates between reality and scenography to answer questions about space, depth, context, facade, and representation.

“Spaces without drama” features the works of architects such as Emilio Ambasz, Baukuh, Gerardo Caballero, Fala atelier, Marcelo Ferraz, Sam Jacob Studio, Johnston Marklee, Monadnock, MOS Architects, Norman Kelley, OFFICE Kersten Geers David Van Severen, Cecilia Puga, Aldo Rossi, Taller de Arquitectura Mauricio Rocha + Gabriela Carrillo, Pezo Von Ellrichshausen; artists Pablo Bronstein, William Leavitt, Silke Otto-Knapp, Gabriel Sierra, Batia Suter; and dramaturg Jorge Palinhos. The exhibition is curated by LIGA Space for Architecture (Mexico City), Ruth Estévez (Los Angeles) and Wonne Ickx, founder of Productora (Mexico City).

until 1 July 2017
Spaces without drama
curated by LIGA Space for Architecture, Ruth Estévez and Wonne Ickx
The Graham Foundation
4 West Burton Place, Chicago