Ingo Maurer Intim. An exhibition in Munich

The exhibition “Ingo Maurer intim. Design or what?” (Ingo Maurer intimately. Design or what?) is running at Die Neue Sammlung – The Design Museum, one of the spaces of the Pinakothek der Moderne in Munich. It introduces visitors to the internationally renowned light designer, Ingo Maurer – who died just before the exhibition opened – and to his fascinating world of light and shade.
The comprehensive show was created in close collaboration with Ingo Maurer and his team, and includes everything from the German designer’s early work through to his latest luminaires, with more than 80 objects plus models and photographs. 
“Ingo Maurer intim” explores how Ingo Maurer saw and approached his work, always developing each step from the initial sketch to the final product to the sales process in close and trusting collaboration with his team. The question “Design or what?” alludes to the exciting interaction of design, art, and architecture. Because with Maurer’s objects the question often arises of how, if at all, they can be pigeonholed in terms of style. This ambiguity proved to be positive for Maurer, as it gave him lots of freedom to do what he wanted, given that no one discipline expected anything in particular, leaving him free to move with materials and shapes. This scope allowed Maurer to use a wide range of materials – porcelain, plastic, paper and gold – with his own special application, versatility and an open mind, combined with the use of technological novelties of the day, such as halogen lamps or OLED. In addition to the materials and technology, quite unspectacular moments in everyday life served as his inspiration when conjuring up new lighting situations.
Ingo Maurer took a great deal of joy in experimenting with a playful approach, and his works span the entire spectrum of elegance, simplicity, mannerism, construction, and humour. This humour is also reflected in his preferred use of witty and onomatopoetic product names that draw on different languages.
We can say that in Maurer’s pieces, his lighting design did not focus on form but rather on the quality of light and its impact on people and the particular space involved. Maurer created emotion and mood and pursued a symbiosis of technology and poetry.
The exhibition “Ingo Maurer intimate. Design or what?” in the Paternoster Hall at the Pinakothek der Moderne in Munich is part of the series on contemporary positions in design initiated by Die Neue Sammlung – The Design Museum that showcases key players in the international design scene, including Konstantin Grcic, Werner Aisslinger, Hella Jongerius & Louise Schouwenberg and Friedrich von Borries. 

Christiane Bürklein

Exhibition: Ingo Maurer intimate. Design or what? - https://dnstdm.de/en/ingo-maurer/
Location: The New Collection - The Design Museum, Pinakothek der Moderne, Munich, Germany
Dates: 15.11.2019 - 18.10.2020