The City that Never Was. Fantastic Architectures in Western Art, Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona, Barcelona
The City that Never Was. Fantastic Architectures in Western Art, Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona, Barcelona
2004
This exhibition, dedicated to “architectural whims” features a classical core consisting of Pompeian frescoes and contemporary works.
The design is based on the hidden meanings of the works and manifests itself in a restrained presentation “uncluttered, light, almost invisible, which defines a clear yet uncertain path”. The paintings become “headlights” that assist in a discovery process. The architects used simple and economic means, deliberately moving away from the usual structured designs at the CCCB where exhibition spaces are long and narrow rooms with low ceilings and without transversal walls to punctuate the progression. As the architects were working with a very small budget, they could not erect great structures, but emptied the rooms and exaggerated “the almost surreal caracter of the arches.”
“In this strange disposition, there is a contrast between darkness and light, shadows and enlightened plans and panels.” Three types of lighting: spotlights to highlight the Works, a glow which slides into the space itself and the lighting of the descriptive signs. This lighting is the only artificial effect used in these rooms painted black.
The design is based on the hidden meanings of the works and manifests itself in a restrained presentation “uncluttered, light, almost invisible, which defines a clear yet uncertain path”. The paintings become “headlights” that assist in a discovery process. The architects used simple and economic means, deliberately moving away from the usual structured designs at the CCCB where exhibition spaces are long and narrow rooms with low ceilings and without transversal walls to punctuate the progression. As the architects were working with a very small budget, they could not erect great structures, but emptied the rooms and exaggerated “the almost surreal caracter of the arches.”
“In this strange disposition, there is a contrast between darkness and light, shadows and enlightened plans and panels.” Three types of lighting: spotlights to highlight the Works, a glow which slides into the space itself and the lighting of the descriptive signs. This lighting is the only artificial effect used in these rooms painted black.
