Inhabited Architecture
September 20, 2012–May 19, 2013
Guggenheim Museum Bilbao
Galleries 301, 302, 303 and 304
Avenida Abandoibarra, 2
Bilbao 48001, Spain
Curator: Lucía Agirre
From September 20, 2012 through May 19, 2013, the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao is pleased to present Inhabited Architecture, a new exhibition of works from the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao collection that engages in a reflection on the concept of architecture and its ability to suggest a past or present created by us and our relationships with others. In this context, architecture is something that “embraces the consideration of the whole external surroundings of the life of man: we cannot escape from it if we would so long as we are part of civilization, for it means the molding and altering to human needs of the very face of the earth itself, except in the outermost desert,” as defined in 1881 by William Morris, lead proponent of the Arts and Crafts movement. From this perspective, architecture is much more than just buildings or inhabitable structures; it encompasses cities, streets, furnishings—in short, everything created by human hands.
The show includes six works from the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao collection by five international artists that reflect on the occupation of space as a place of narratives that already exist or are on the verge of being created by the observer.
Several pieces are making their public debut at the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao in this exhibition: How are you going to behave? A kitchen cat speaks (2009) by British artist Liam Gillick; Untitled (2008) by Doris Salcedo; Home (1999) by Mona Hatoum; and Life Forms 304 (2003) by Pello Irazu. These are accompanied by two pieces by Cristina Iglesias, Untitled (Alabaster Room) (Sin título [Habitación de alabastro]) from 1993 and Untitled (Jealousy II) (Sin título [Celosía II]) from 1997.
