The impossible geometries of Dutch graphic artist MC Escher are explored by Oki Sato's studio Nendo in an exhibition open at the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne.
The exhibition, called Between Two Worlds, includes 157 prints and drawings by Escher, made between 1916 and 1969, taken from the largest collection of the artist's work, at the Gemeentemuseum in The Hague.
The exhibition opens with a repeated monochrome motif of interlocking housesThe Japanese studio has designed an immersive monochrome design for the exhibition that draws on the artist's work by playing with themes of geometry and space.
The studio took the simple shape of a house as the basis of its designs for the project, adapting the form into different dimensions and scales. The house was chosen as it is a symbol that represents space. Animations are projected onto a 17-metre-long corridor that opens the exhibitionThe house motif has practical and conceptual applications, with variations on the shape forming seating, providing a context for display and directing visitors. Birds, fish and other frequently recurring animals in Escher's work are used to explain the concepts behind the exhibition and as a 3D navigational tool.
The exhibition is arranged according to themes rather than chronologically, over nine display areas, each designed to provide a fitting backdrop for the specific exhibits.
The house motif has a practical application in a seating area designed for viewing Escher's early...