The Circle at MAKK

As one of the most recognisable shapes, the circle has had various meanings throughout human history. This shape is fundamentally made up of points that are at the same distance from its centre, what is called the radius. Its curved contouring lines make it unlike any other known form. It contains no edges and so, in theory, has no limitations. Used to describe the shape of our planet and our understanding of time, the circle can also symbolise how we come together as a community, standing together around a fire or sitting around a table to share knowledge and collaborate.

In The Circle exhibition, collective design network and studio Dutch Invertuals has chosen to focus on these ideas. Designers from throughout Europe, who have participated in their past thematic exhibitions and programmes, have been asked to consider what the circle means to them. In this process, they’ve thought outside the box about how this shape is informed by design, material, composition, production, and collaborative work. Many have also investigated what the circle signifies when it comes to addressing social, cultural, political, and environmental issues. 

Presented at the MAKK from January 17 to April 24, 2022, The Circle exhibition includes 17 projects by designers trained in The Netherlands and Germany: Anna Resei, Audrey Large x Théophile Blandet, Bram Vanderbeke, Carlo Lorenzetti, Christian+Jade, Edhv, Elena Blazquez, Germans Ermičs x The New Raw, Johanna Seelemann, Laura Kluge, Elly Feldstein, Moonseop Seo, Philipp Weber, Rogier Arents, Sander Hagelaar, Wendy Andreu and Willem van Hooff.

From Mobius Strip-inspired lamps and benches to inquiries of how the assembly line production of industrial glass might be understood as a type of choreography, the works on view range from formal interpretations to conceptual exploration, from the expressive to the experimental. Directed by Dutch Invertuals founder Wendy Plomp in collaboration with co-curator Christoph Brach, The Circle exhibition reveals how design can be used as a tool that allows us to perceive our world in different ways.

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