
Luigi Colani and Art Nouveau
29 September 2020 - 29 August 2021In 1977, Luigi Colani declared “The Bauhaus is dead”, calling instead for a “renaissance of art nouveau”. Luigi Colani (1928–2019), a native Berliner, a man of many talents and a master of self-promotion, thus triggered a revolution in German design. One of the most fascinating designer figures in the twentieth century, he is difficult to sum up in his entirety. A student of Berlin’s Hochschule der Künste and graduate of the Sorbonne in Paris, the controversial designer wrote history with his visionary ideas and biomorphic forms. Nature was his most important source of inspiration, formally speaking the maverick had an affinity for art nouveau. Colani also triggered a revolution in German design in the 1960s by making himself and his name a brand. He used the possibilities of the new material plastic to create unusual and futuristic forms. He often took the floral and organic forms of art nouveau as a point of departure, seeking to develop its foundational ideas and concepts further.
In this exhibition at Bröhan-Museum, his designs are contrasted with art nouveau objects from the museum’s own collection. The floral objects from the art nouveau period and Colani’s works stand for a dream of a better world.
For the exhibition “Luigi Colani and Art Nouveau” we created the “Colani Favorites”, a digital programme in which two young art historians introduce the highlights of the show in circa 1-minute long videos. We also show on our Youtube channel how to make jewelry under the motto “Art Nouveau meets Colani”.
Media partners: Wall GmbH, rbb Kultur, tip Berlin Magazin, Dinamix
Curator: Dr. Tobias Hoffmann
Exhibition design: Katleen Arthen
Advertising motif: Gerwin Schmidt, Munich
Luigi Colani Sessel-Plastik (Prototyp) 1965 Sammlung POPDOM Foto: Colya Zucker © Colani Design Germany GmbH Luigi Colani, Der Künstler im Garten, sitzend auf „Der Colani“ 1976 Fotografie Sammlung POPDOM Luigi Colani Modellfotografie des Großraum-Passagierflugzeugs „Megalodon“ 1977 Sammlung POPDOM © Colani Design Germany GmbH Luigi Colani Ringnor Kinderstapelstuhl 1973 Sammlung POPDOM © Colani Design Germany GmbH Im Hintergrund: Richard Riemerschmid Dresdner Werkstätten für Handwerkskunst Armlehnstuhl, 1902 Bröhan-Museum, Berlin Foto: Colya Zucker © VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2020 Richard Riemerschmid Vereinigte Werkstätten für Kunst im Handwerk (München) Vorlegemesser, 1898/99 Bröhan-Museum, Berlin © VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2020 Unten: Luigi Colani Flugzeug-Bordbesteck (Kleinserie), um 2000 Sammlung POPDOM Foto: Colya Zucker © Colani Design Germany GmbH Luigi Colani Ritzenhoff Daumenglas 1973 Sammlung POPDOM Foto: Colya Zucker © Colani Design Germany GmbH