Escher and Nendo: world debut at the National Gallery of Victoria

The blockbuster exhibition will intertwine the worlds of artist M.C. Escher and design studio nendo in a “masterful and enigmatic visual presentation”.

Acclaimed Japanese design studio nendo will create a “deeply immersive exhibition experience” featuring more than 160 extraordinary prints and drawings by Dutch artist M.C. Escher at the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne this December.

“Escher x Nendo: between two worlds”, National Gallery of Victoria Exhibition view.

Photo Sean Fennessy. Courtesy NGV International

“Escher x Nendo: between two worlds”, National Gallery of Victoria Zooming House installation at the “Escher x nendo | Between Two Worlds” exhibition at NGV International in Melbourne, Australia. Celebrated as a master of optical illusion, M. C. Escher created some of the most iconic images of the twentieth century. Exclusively for the NGV, Japanese design studio nendo has created an immersive exhibition experience inspired by M. C. Escher.

Photo Scott Barbour. Courtesy Getty Images for NGV

“Escher x Nendo: between two worlds”, National Gallery of Victoria

Photo Scott Barbour. Courtesy Getty Images for NGV

“Escher x Nendo: between two worlds”, National Gallery of Victoria

Photo Scott Barbour. Courtesy Getty Images for NGV

“Escher x Nendo: between two worlds”, National Gallery of Victoria

Photo Scott Barbour. Courtesy Getty Images for NGV

“Escher x Nendo: between two worlds”, National Gallery of Victoria

Photo Scott Barbour. Courtesy Getty Images for NGV

“Escher x Nendo: between two worlds”, National Gallery of Victoria

Photo Scott Barbour. Courtesy Getty Images for NGV

“Escher x Nendo: between two worlds”, National Gallery of Victoria Exhibition view.

Photo Sean Fennessy. Courtesy NGV International

“Escher x Nendo: between two worlds”, National Gallery of Victoria

Foto Sean Fennessy. Courtesy NGV International

“Escher x Nendo: between two worlds”, National Gallery of Victoria

Photo Sean Fennessy. Courtesy NGV International

“Escher x Nendo: between two worlds”, National Gallery of Victoria

Photo Sean Fennessy. Courtesy NGV International

“Escher x Nendo: between two worlds”, National Gallery of Victoria

Photo Sean Fennessy. Courtesy NGV International

“Escher x Nendo: between two worlds”, National Gallery of Victoria

Photo Sean Fennessy. Courtesy NGV International

“Escher x Nendo: between two worlds”, National Gallery of Victoria

Photo Sean Fennessy. Courtesy NGV International

“Escher x Nendo: between two worlds”, National Gallery of Victoria

Photo Sean Fennessy. Courtesy NGV International

“Escher x Nendo: between two worlds”, National Gallery of Victoria

Photo Sean Fennessy. Courtesy NGV International

“Escher x Nendo: between two worlds”, National Gallery of Victoria

Photo Sean Fennessy. Courtesy NGV International

“Escher x Nendo: between two worlds”, National Gallery of Victoria

Photo Sean Fennessy. Courtesy NGV International

“Escher x Nendo: between two worlds”, National Gallery of Victoria

Photo Sean Fennessy. Courtesy NGV International

“Escher x Nendo: between two worlds”, National Gallery of Victoria

Photo Sean Fennessy. Courtesy NGV International

“Escher x Nendo: between two worlds”, National Gallery of Victoria

Photo Eugene Hyland. Courtesy NGV International

“Escher x Nendo: between two worlds”, National Gallery of Victoria

Photo Eugene Hyland. Courtesy © The M. C. Escher Company, the Netherlands

“Escher x Nendo: between two worlds”, National Gallery of Victoria

Photo Eugene Hyland. Courtesy © The M. C. Escher Company, the Netherlands

“Escher x Nendo: between two worlds”, National Gallery of Victoria

Photo Eugene Hyland. Courtesy NGV International

“Escher x Nendo: between two worlds”, National Gallery of Victoria

Photo Eugene Hyland. Courtesy © The M. C. Escher Company, the Netherlands

“Escher x Nendo: between two worlds”, National Gallery of Victoria

Photo Eugene Hyland. Courtesy © The M. C. Escher Company, the Netherlands

“Escher x Nendo: between two worlds”, National Gallery of Victoria

Photo Eugene Hyland. Courtesy © The M. C. Escher Company, the Netherlands

“Escher x Nendo: between two worlds”, National Gallery of Victoria

Photo Eugene Hyland. Courtesy NGV International

“Escher x Nendo: between two worlds”, National Gallery of Victoria

Photo Eugene Hyland. Courtesy © The M. C. Escher Company, the Netherlands

“Escher x Nendo: between two worlds”, National Gallery of Victoria

Foto Eugene Hyland. Courtesy NGV International

“Escher x Nendo: between two worlds”, National Gallery of Victoria

Photo Eugene Hyland. Courtesy NGV International

“Escher x Nendo: between two worlds”, National Gallery of Victoria

Photo Eugene Hyland. Courtesy NGV International

“Escher x Nendo: between two worlds”, National Gallery of Victoria

Photo Eugene Hyland. Courtesy NGV International

“Escher x Nendo: between two worlds”, National Gallery of Victoria

Photo Eugene Hyland. Courtesy NGV International

“Escher x Nendo: between two worlds”, National Gallery of Victoria

Photo Eugene Hyland. Courtesy © The M. C. Escher Company, the Netherlands

“Escher x Nendo: between two worlds”, National Gallery of Victoria

Photo Eugene Hyland. Courtesy © The M. C. Escher Company, the Netherlands

“Escher x Nendo: between two worlds”, National Gallery of Victoria

Photo Eugene Hyland. Courtesy © The M. C. Escher Company, the Netherlands

Announced as the first major Australian presentation dedicated to the Dutch master of optical illusion, the blockbuster exhibition is called “Between Two Worlds I Escher X nendo” and intertwines the unique, innovative visions of both artist and designer in an environment that plays with geometry, space, and perception.

Img.1 Nendo, International KOGEI Triennale, 2009. Exhibition view, 21st Century Museum, Kanazawa. Photo Daici Ano. Courtesy Nendo
Img.2 Nendo, International KOGEI Triennale, 2009. Exhibition view, 21st Century Museum, Kanazawa. Photo Daici Ano. Courtesy Nendo
Img.3 Nendo, International KOGEI Triennale, 2009. Exhibition view, 21st Century Museum, Kanazawa. Photo Daici Ano. Courtesy Nendo
Img.4 Nendo, Hirata no boshi, 2011. Exhibition view, Spiral Gallery, Tokyo. Photo Daici Ano. Courtesy Nendo
Img.5 Nendo, Kaleidoscopic Ivy, 2017. Exhibition view, Sogetsu. In collaboration with hnm, syk + onndo. Photo Takumi Ota. Courtesy Nendo
Img.6 Nendo, Thin Black Lines and Dancing Squares, 2011. Exhibition view, Taiwan Craft Research Institute. Photo Daici Ano. Courtesy Nendo
Img.7 Nendo, Thin Black Lines and Dancing Squares, 2011. Exhibition view, Taiwan Craft Research Institute. Photo Daici Ano. Courtesy Nendo
Img.8 Nendo, Thin Black Lines and Dancing Squares, 2011. Exhibition view, Taiwan Craft Research Institute. Photo Daici Ano. Courtesy Nendo
Img.9 Oki Sato, Designer, nendo. Photo Ko Sasaki, courtesy the photographer
Img.11 M.C. Escher, Relativity, 1953. Courtesy The M.C. Escher Company, The Netherlands
Img.12 M.C. Escher, Mano con sfera riflettente, 1935. Courtesy The M.C. Escher Company, The Netherlands
Img.13 M.C. Escher, Ciclo, 1938. Courtesy The M.C. Escher Company, The Netherlands
Img.14 M.C. Escher, Giorno e notte, 1938. Courtesy The M.C. Escher Company, The Netherlands
Img.15 M.C. Escher, Mani che disegnano, 1948. Courtesy The M.C. Escher Company, The Netherlands

Based on Oki Sato’s never-before-seen exhibition design, the world-premiere show will be a “masterful and enigmatic visual presentation” covering the full span of the artist’s career, from 1916 through to his final work produced in 1969. The 160 works by Escher, who is widely regarded as having created some of the most iconic images of the 20th-century, are drawn from the world’s largest collection of the artist's work in the Gemeentemuseum in The Hague.

Oki Sato, Nendo. Photo Ko Sasaki

Set to open in December, “Between Two Worlds I Escher X nendo” will be the centerpiece of the National Gallery of Victoria’s 2018/2019 season. Presented alongside the Melbourne-exclusive exhibition will be a rich program of events and exhibitions throughout spring and summer at NGV International and NGV Australia, including major solo exhibitions by Polly Borland, Julian Opie, Hito Steyerl, and William Wegman.

  • “Between Two Worlds I Escher X nendo”
  • Nendo
  • National Gallery of Victoria
  • 2 dicembre 2018 – 7 aprile 2019
  • 180 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne

Opening image: © 2024 The M.C. Escher Company, Baarn, The Netherlands. All rights reserved.