Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/32301
Modern Man Gerrit Rietveld’s influence goes way beyond the Zig Zag chair. The MAXXI museum takes a closer look. BY RACHEL WOLFF Clean lines; carefully balanced asymmetry; splashes of red, blue and yellow on otherwise stark palettes; those famous zigzagging chairs... The visual language of Gerrit Rietveld (1888–1964) is akin to what many of us consider to be the basis of early- and mid-century architecture and design today, yet the Dutch-born craftsman has never quite reached “househould name” status. The National Museum of XXI Century Arts (MAXXI) in Rome hopes to remedy that with “Rietveld’s Universe: Architecture, Art, and Design,” on view through July 10. The exhibition explores the many facets of Rietveld’s oeuvre—from Mondrian-esque façades to minimalist interiors to playful riffs on basic seating—alongside works by the renowned architects and designers upon whom he had a marked influence. Though he was trained from a young age as a carpenter, Ri- etveld was quick to seek out the artistic potential within his given skills and tools. He was associated with both the De Stijl group (which counted Piet Mondrian, Theo Van Doesburg and Robert van’t Hoff among its members) and figures of the Modern avant- garde like Mies van der Rohe, Gropius and Le Corbusier, all of whom have sketches, photos, or models included in the MAXXI show. But more importantly, perhaps, is Rietveld’s influence on the ways in which we make and consume design today. “He was a pioneer of contemporary tendencies and one of the first designers who understood that mechanization would be- come the future of furniture production,” says exhibition co-cura- tor Domitilla Dardi. “His projects in the 1930s and 40s moved toward the reduction of components and the simplification of as- sembling elements. His legacy shows how using materials in un- explored ways is more remarkable than any formalistic success.” Rietveld’s significance is becoming increasingly apparent in the market for early- and mid-century design as well. In fact, if you can’t make it to Rome, Galerie Ulrich Fiedler’s booth at De- sign Miami/Basel might be an apt alternative. The Berlin-based showroom will exhibit classic Rietveld works, like two blue “Beugel” chairs from 1927, as well as related pieces by Mies van der Rohe and Le Corbusier. “Rietveld threw away all traditions of furniture making and melting architecture and design,” Fiedler says. “He created the archetypal prototype for the 20th century and all the others fol- lowed his design principles. Modern design has started with him.” The Dutchman’s impact and connections will be in evidence at Paris’ Galerie Doria as well where it will show De Stijl’s influ- ence on French design with objects by Jacques Le Chevallier, Pierre Chareau and Eileen Gray. 50 CULTURED Clockwise from top left: an architectural drawing for the Casa Schroeder (1924); Rietveld’s Zig Zag chair for Cassina was de- signed in 1934 but wasn’t produced until 1973; Ri- etveld with a model for the 1948 Core House; a view of Padiglione Sonsbeek in Arnhem, designed in 1955. ALL IMAGES COURTESY OF THE MAXXI FONDAZIONE