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Ideograms

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posted on 2024-10-30, 17:37 authored by Leonardus van SchaikLeonardus van Schaik
RESEARCH BACKGROUND: Leon van Schaik's hand-drawn 'ideograms' are central to his research into spatial thinking, the poetics of architecture, urban design and the processes involved in procuring innovative architecture. Max Delany, the National Gallery of Victoria's senior curator for contemporary art, approached van Schaik to put together a collection of ideograms - featuring Melbourne architects and iconic buildings - for inclusion in Melbourne NOW. The 64 'ideograms' fill an entire wall of gallery. An accompanying book 'Ideograms' (Lyon Housemuseum, 2013) is being sold at the NGV and elsewhere. RESEARCH CONTRIBUTION: Melbourne NOW offers a retrospective of van Schaik's distinctive type of visual thinking in the form of subjective ideogrammatic drawings, which not only document key protagonists and ideas in architectural practice, but also serve as critical philosophical propositions and graphic works in their own right. Psychogeographic in exploration, and encyclopaedic in scope, the ideograms are compelling portraits of an architectural culture, which theatrically stage the world of architectural ideas. RESEARCH SIGNIFICANCE: The significance of van Schaik's 'Ideograms' is demonstrated by the work's prominent inclusion in Melbourne NOW. The opening weekend attracted 18,400 visitors and the show received extensive media attention. Van Schaik's work has received further specific peer review in Maitiu Ward's 'Melbourne Now' review in 'Architecture Australia' (12 Dec 2013). Ward writes: 'Spectacularly scaled and spread across an entire wall, through words and images these hand-drawn works document van Schaik's critical response to the buildings of a number of local practitioners'. Van Schaik also gave an invited floor talk at NGV Australia.

History

Subtype

  • Curation (Exhibition)

Outlet

Melbourne Now

Place published

Melbourne, Victoria

Start date

2013-11-22

End date

2014-03-23

Extent

64 hand drawn ideograms, printed in large format to fill entire wall 19metres long by 7 metres high

Language

English

Medium

Paper

Former Identifier

2006043140

Esploro creation date

2020-06-22

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