| Not only extremely rare and precious, but
also highly sophisticated as works of aesthetic quality and craftsmanship:
such is Chinese furniture from the classical period, the 16th to the 18th century.
Its style and form could well be that of the Bauhaus era and anticipate by
centuries the aethetic maxims of modernism in Western art that "form
follows function" and "less is more". This is the point
of departure for Die Neue Sammlung and its presentation of classical Chinese
furniture from the collection of the Italy-based collector and architect
Dr. Ignazio Vok.
In the late Ming and early Qing Dynasties (16 th-18 th centuries), Chinese
joinery reached its zenith. This was a result of, on the one hand, the woodworking
tradition of the Song era (11 th-13 th centuries) and, on the other hand,
the availability of imported South Asian tropical hardwoods such as, for
example, rosewood (huanhuali). As these hardwoods have an extremely compact
grain, they were able to be fitted together through very complicated and
precisely worked joining. Metal nails were never used and glue was merely
an auxiliary material used to strengthen the joints. Other factors that bolstered
furniture craftsmanship were the economic upsurge and social mobility in
urban centres where hardwood furniture was considered to be a status symbol.
Common to all the pieces on display is the almost complete absence of carved
and lacquered decoration. Their sophistication lies in their proportions
and the vitality of expression found in the materials themselves. The noble,
sparing use of decorative elements, a keen awareness of what is essential,
perfectly formed functionality and the elegance of the simple have all come
together to create a sense of unconstrained harmony and deceptive naturalness – to
this day, a repeated source of inspiration for European designers. As a way
of comparing the old and new, Die Neue Sammlung – the State Museum
of Applied Arts and Design –has juxtaposed the classical
Chinese furniture of the Vok Collection alongside a few select examples of
modern international furniture design taken from the museum's own collection.
These latter pieces bear direct reference to the predecessor on which they
are modelled and have been shaped by the same minimalist approach to design.
The exhibition was organized in close cooperation with the collector: By
concentrating on pure form and choosing deliberately to take a modern-day,
European perspective, the architect Dr. Ignazio Vok has assembled, over the
past few decades, a collection of furniture that is without doubt unparalleled
internationally in its stringency, quality and extensive range.
Die Neue Samlung – the State Museum of Applied Arts and Design / Design
in the Pinakothek der Moderne – would like to thank Dr. Ignazio Vok
for his generous support and extensive cooperation.
The richly illustrated exhibition catalogue can
be bought at the museum (75 Euro). |
