To see art is to feel aliveTo see art is to feel alive, luxury defined from Christie’s International Real Estate writes on its blog. It liberates our souls, feeds our imaginations and breaks down barriers; it , brings joy and can prompt sudden sadness, but most of all it makes us free. In an era when the future of cultural institutions is more uncertain than ever, some brave new museums have popped their heads above the parapet, daring to open for the first time during the pandemic. We round up the seven best.
Bourse de Commerce Gallery, Paris, France
In May this year the Pinault Collection opened its doors at the Bourse de Commerce in Paris. The vast exhibit includes Modernist masterworks by Mondrian and Rothko alongside pieces by contemporary artists including Jeff Koons, Urs Fischer and Cindy Sherman. luxurydefined writes “At the core of the redesign is an austere concrete structure within the walls of the glass-domed rotunda.” We at WüstundWüst magazine already reported on its stunning architecture of Tadao Ando in early spring.
He Art Museum, Guangdong, China
In China, museums seem to be springing up all over the place in recent years. Everywhere you look, something new is being created and usually the buildings alone impress with their groundbreaking architecture. It is no different in Shunde, a district in China’s Guangdong province. Here stack of staggered concrete and glass disks looks poised to rocket skywards. This is the new He Art Museum, and it’s set to put this part of China on the world’s art map. Architect Tadao Ando took inspiration from the founder’s family name, He—the Chinese character represents peace and harmony.
“From the architectural design to the craftsmanship of the smallest details, harmony is presented through a variety of circles that ripple from the bottom to the top,” he says. The museum houses an eclectic collection, from local art including ink-on-paper works from the Lingnan School style of painting to work by major international art stars including Damien Hirst.
Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, Los Angeles, USA
Due to open in late September 2021 the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures will celebrate the art and science of movies past and present, and will include special installations by Academy Award-winning artists such as director Pedro Almodóvar and sound designer Ben Burtt.
In the Museum visitors will go from sequence to sequence, from exhibition galleries to the film theater and the terrace, with everything blending into one experience. Core exhibitions include Stories of Cinema, which traces the evolution of film. Guest curators, including Spike Lee, will develop galleries, and there’s a strong emphasis on virtual programming.
WA Museum Boola Bardip, Perth, Australia
The WA Museum Boola Bardip reflects and documents the Western Australia’s rich and diverse natural and cultural heritage. Its first collections were geological, and include a piece of quartz with a gold vein running through it. The museum explores the relationship between people and place, featuring the voices of Western Australians and sharing the stories of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Museum of the Home, London, England
Home is where the art is: Exhibits at the Museum of the Home feature rooms decorated to show regular life in different eras. Located in a row of Grade I listed 18th-century almshouses, and formerly known as the Geffrye Museum, it’s been completely reimagined.
“In a year when many of our homes have morphed into places to work, learn, and keep fit, delving into ideas about home seems more important and relevant than ever. There’s more of a desire than ever before for art with a social message.” said Sonia Solicari, director of London’s Museum of the Home ahead of its summer reopening.
Museum of Art & Photography, Bengaluru, India
By featuring works by artists such as Ram Kumar, the Museum of Art & Photography aims to tell a story of multicultural and forward-thinking India. Designed by leading Indian architect Soumitro Ghosh, the Museum of Art & Photography (MAP) aims to take art and culture to the heart of the community.
Museum director Kamini Sawhney sees the museum experience as a hybrid one, which combines the virtual and the physical. To that end Accenture Labs has combined A.I. with human-centered design to create a digital guide, which will have realistic conversations with visitors.
Museum of Underwater Art, Queensland, Australia
Sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor has created the Museum of Underwater Art (MOUA), located off the coast of Queensland. His eerie sunken statues will raise awareness of the area’s threatened ecosystem and encourage the rehabilitation of coral on the Great Barrier Reef, as well as providing refuge for a variety of marine creatures. Officially opened on August 1, 2020, MOUA is ready for divers as soon as boat trips are permitted again.
Extra Tip: Zurich’s Kunsthaus-Extension is open to the Public
Die Ausstellung Earth Beats – Naturbild im Wandel, öffnet am 9. Oktober 2021 und dauert bis am 6. Februar 2022. Sie nutzt als erste grosse Ausstellung die neue Kunsthauserweiterung.
Earth Beats zeichnet die künstlerische Auseinandersetzung mit dem «Blauen Planeten» und seiner Verletzlichkeit nach und versammelt Werke aus der Kunsthaus-Sammlung und Leihgaben, ausgehend von den Elementen Erde, Luft, Wasser und Feuer. Der assoziative Parcours beschränkt sich nicht auf den Chipperfield-Bau des Kunsthauses, sondern führt über die von Olafur Eliasson mit Kunst gestaltete Passage und den «Olivestone» von Joseph Beuys im Müller-Bau bis ins Herz des Moser-Baus und endet in einem «Gletscherraum».
