Kvadrat – The Triple Folly
Kvadrat present The Triple Folly book, a collaboration between artist Thomas Demand, architects Caruso St John and Kvadrat in the creation of a unique Gesamtkunstwerk.
Kvadrat and publisher MACK present The Triple Folly book, which documents the collaboration between artist Thomas Demand, architects Caruso St John and Kvadrat in the creation of a unique Gesamtkunstwerk at the Kvadrat HQ in Ebeltoft, Denmark.
The hand-finished book comprises three volumes that are separate yet, at the same time, one. Housed in an embossed linen slipcase, they presents the pavilion’s entire architectural journey from conception to construction. The first two volumes present Thomas Demand’s original development sketchbooks and references in facsimile. The third volume offers thoughtful images of the buildings juxtaposed alongside conversations with leading lights from the worlds of art, architecture, and design: Frank Gehry, Denise Scott Brown, Adam Caruso, Valerie Verhack, Anders Byriel, and Emilie Appercé. A single volume version of the book is also available.
Thomas Demand initially explored the pavilion tent as an archetypal structure for The Triple Folly, inspired by Kvadrat’s role as a producer of iconic textiles and commissioner of celebrated art projects. As the book reveals, he translated his ideas and architectural iterations onto paper before approaching Caruso St John with three found objects – a legal pad, a paper plate, and a soda jerk – and a compelling question: “Can you make this into architecture?”.
In response, Caruso St John created a tripartite folly – a still life – on a hillock overlooking the picturesque coastal landscape at Kvadrat’s HQ. The ‘hat’, an elliptical volume of welded fibreglass plate that rises from the coastal landscape, provides a living room area. The legal paper, featuring a faded yellow-and-black-lined folded ‘paper’ sheet’ made from translucent fibreglass, offers a vibrant space for meetings. The paper plate, also in fibreglass, is a formed sheet held above a cylindrical volume by thin columns. It integrates a kitchen and a dining area.
To celebrate the launch of The Triple Folly book, Kvadrat and MACK will host two events in Copenhagen and London, including a conversation between Thomas Demand and Kvadrat’s CEO Anders Byriel.
For more information, please contact:
Helena Walfridsson
Mail helena.walfridsson@trendgruppen.se
Phone +46 73 663 76 12
Copenhagen launch:
Wednesday 20 September, 16.30 – 18.30.
The talk will begin at 17.00.
New Mags
Ny Østergade 28
1101 Copenhagen
London launch:
28 September
By invitation only
About Thomas Demand
Thomas Demand is an internationally renowned artist and a long-term collaborator with Kvadrat. He has never created an actual building before working on The Triple Folly. However, he has examined architecture’s role in exhibiting art through his earlier work.
Thomas Demand is no stranger to construction. He is known for building sculptures of cardboard or paper, taking a picture of the sculpture, and then destroying it. As the photo becomes the only piece left of this process, it becomes the single remaining physical object of the artwork. His sculptures are often motifs from our public and private lives that hold social meaning in some form, testifying to his strong conceptual mind. His engagement in the potency of social constructions explores the meaning we give events, objects, or the like as a society.
Thomas Demand is one of the most acclaimed artists of his generation and has worked together with Kvadrat for many years. Collaborations with the brand during this time include House of Cards, a retrospective of his work; Daily Flower Report, a calendar; Saal, a site-specific illusive installation and a further installation which gave the impression his artworks were floating on the walls of Germany’s Nationalgalerie.
Numerous prestigious museums and collections host the works by Thomas Demand, including the Museum of Modern Art, New York, The Guggenheim Museum, New York, and the Tate Modern, London and Tate Gallery, London and the New National Gallery, Berlin.
About Caruso St John Architects
Caruso St John Architects was established by Adam Caruso and
Peter St John in 1990. The practice has offices in London and Zurich and has built throughout Europe, undertaking projects that range in scale from major urban developments and cultural projects to intricate interventions in complex historic settings. Caruso St John won the RIBA Stirling Prize in 2016 for the Newport Street Gallery and represented Britain at the 2018 Venice Architecture Biennale.
About MACK
MACK is an independent publisher of award-winning books on visual arts, working with the world’s leading artists, writers, curators and cultural institutions. Established in London in 2010, our founder Michael Mack wanted to create a publishing house that connects new and established authors to a wider audience in beautifully designed editions. Rooted primarily in photography books, our publishing has expanded into art, literature and critical studies, working with some of the world’s most pioneering creative minds and institutions. Over this time, we have sought to build an extensive cultural programme, bringing our authors to audiences across the world in talks, workshops, fairs and signings.
About Kvadrat
Kvadrat was established in Denmark in 1968 and has deep roots
in Scandinavia’s world-famous design tradition. A leader in design innovation, Kvadrat produces high-performance, design textiles, rugs, window covering and acoustic solutions for both commercial and residential interiors.
Our products reflect our commitment to colour, quality, simplicity and innovation. We consistently push the aesthetic, technological and functional properties of textiles. In doing so, we collaborate with leading designers, architects and artists including: Patricia Urquiola, Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec, Margrethe Odgaard, Alfredo Häberli, Doshi Levien, Giulio Ridolfo, Peter Saville, Pipilotti Rist, Thomas Demand and Olafur Eliasson.