Historical detail is widely accessible, and the curation has been thoughtfully accomplished. In the end, Josef Hoffmann’s Vienna is a delightful experience, transporting visitors to this glittering period of avant-gardes and refined luxury. Though the exhibition focuses on Vienna, I can’t help but wonder what effects Hoffmann’s designs had outside this glittering city, as part of a larger international modernist style. Louis, Missouri-cannot be understated, given that they served as platforms for both international competition and exchange. In contrast with the curving botanical motifs most often associated with the international Art Nouveau style, Hoffmann instead emphasized simple geometric patterns, particularly the aforementioned black and white checkerboard motif.Īlso, the importance of World’s Fairs during this time-such as the 1904 pavilion in St. Hoffmann’s nickname, “Square Hoffmann” ( Quadratl Hoffmann), is evident throughout the space. I’m pleasantly surprised (and impressed) to discover that all of the artworks have been selected from the Kirkland Museum’s own permanent collection, showcasing both new acquisitions and fan-favorites. Visitors to the museum are able to imagine themselves as Hoffmann’s eccentric patrons as they approach the Fledermaus Chair and checkerboard tile setting. All of the senses are valued equally in an immersive experience, which is extended to the viewer not only through the Hoffmann-designed table and chairs, but through a physical copy of the Cabaret’s original 1907 menu. An underground space that opened in 1907, it included a bar and auditorium, and hosted various performances such as poetry readings, satirical plays, music, shadow puppetry, and dance. The most compelling example of this notion of Gesamtkunstwerk in the exhibition is a partial replica of the Cabaret Fledermaus.
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