BERLIN.- The Kunstgewerbemuseum (Museum of Decorative Arts) in Berlin has opened its doors to a fascinating exhibition, "Double Mise en Évidence: Wallpapers by Luc Wolff," which runs until April 20, 2025. This unique show explores the intriguing intersection of art and design, showcasing Luc Wolff's captivating "Wallpapers" alongside iconic design objects from the museum's own collection.

Luc Wolff, a Luxembourgish artist based in Berlin since the late 1980s, is known for his thought-provoking, often temporary, interventions in public spaces, as well as his architectural works and paintings. His work, including the acclaimed "Magazzino" presented at the 1997 Venice Biennale, consistently challenges our perceptions of space and form.

"Wallpapers," the centerpiece of this exhibition, are not your typical floral prints. These are large-scale assemblages of numerous individual paper works – sometimes up to 80! – creating expansive, immersive pieces that redefine the walls they adorn. Imagine walking into a room where the walls themselves seem to breathe with organic, almost translucent forms. That's the experience Wolff creates. Each piece, a unique watercolor or ink creation, contributes to a larger whole, transforming the static surface of a wall into a dynamic canvas.

But the exhibition doesn't stop there. "Double Mise en Évidence," meaning "Dual Emphasis," highlights the dialogue between Wolff's "Wallpapers" and carefully selected design objects, primarily chairs, from the museum's collection. Think of it as a conversation between art and functionality. Wolff's organic forms find themselves in the company of iconic chairs like Donald Judd's minimalist creations, Konstantin Grcic's contemporary designs, Helmut Bätzner's practical stacking chair, and the classic DSS stacking chair by Ray & Charles Eames.

This juxtaposition invites visitors to reconsider the traditional boundaries between fine art and applied art. Are these "Wallpapers" simply decorative, or are they sculptures in their own right? Are the chairs purely functional, or do they transcend their purpose and become something more? The exhibition encourages us to question these categories and appreciate the interplay between these seemingly disparate objects. It's a chance to see familiar design pieces in a completely new light, framed by Wolff's mesmerizing "Wallpapers."

The exhibition opened on January 30, 2025 with an introduction by Dr. Veronica Biermann, Professor of Design and Architectural History at Burg Giebichenstein University of Art Halle. Visit the Kunstgewerbemuseum before April 20th to witness the "dual emphasis" of art and design.