Joseph Beuys

A gallery within a gallery that creates a unified sequence of chambers to explore the work of performance art pioneer and Fluxus movement founder at Waddington Custot.

David Kohn Architects worked with Waddington Custot to present an exhibition which focused on Joseph Beuys' political performance at Documenta V, Kassel (1972), a boxing match opposing him to his student Abraham David Christian.

Exhibited in conjunction with the debut UK presentation of the re-mastered archive footage of the boxing match, the display put in context the mixed media sculpture ‘Boxkampf für die direkte Demokratie’ (1972) containing the physical remnants of the performance.

Taking inspiration from Beuys’ room-like installations and his method of gathering and curating objects, the space is reimagined as a series of rooms for which to discover the exhibition. Like exploring the exhibits at Kassel V the story of Beuys’ work is slowly unfolded as the visitor entered each chamber.

A grey backdrop contrasts to the all white gallery to create an encompassing space with which to view the material. The objects are contained in these rooms like an over-sized vitrine – a strong trope of Beuys’ work.

Project
Exhibition Design