Endless House considers the single-family home and archetypes of dwelling as themes for the creative endeavors of architects and artists. Through drawings, photographs, video, installations, and architectural models drawn from MoMA’s collection, the exhibition highlights how artists have used the house as a means to explore universal topics, and how architects have tackled the design of residences to expand their discipline in new ways. The exhibition also marks the 50th anniversary of the death of Austrian American artist and architect Frederick Kiesler (1890–1965). Taking its name from an unrealized project by Kiesler, Endless House celebrates his legacy and the cross-pollination of art and architecture that made Kiesler's decades-long project a reference for generations to come. Work by architects and artists spanning more than seven decades is exhibited alongside materials from Kiesler’s Endless House design and images of its presentation in MoMA’s 1960 Visionary Architecture exhibition. Intriguing house designs—ranging from historical projects by Mies van der Rohe, Frank Gehry, Peter Eisenman, and Rem Koolhaas, to new acquisitions from Smiljan Radić and Asymptote Architecture—are juxtaposed with visions from artists such as Louise Bourgeois, Bruce Nauman, Mario Merz, and Rachel Whiteread. Together these works demonstrate how the dwelling occupies a central place in a cultural exchange that crosses generations and disciplines.
Organized by Pedro Gadanho, Curator, and Phoebe Springstubb, Curatorial Assistant, Department of Architecture and Design.
