Bataille & ibens
Press release
Looking for the invisible present
The third episode in the series Unfolding the Archives shines the spotlight on interior architects Claire Bataille (1940) en Paul ibens (1939-2020). Their influence on interior architecture in Belgium and abroad is significant. The designer duo enjoyed international acclaim with the patented construction system "78 Plus" (1978) and the H²O table (1993). Bataille & ibens' style is characterized by simplicity, they called it "invisible present". The exhibition takes ‘detail’ as its starting point and, in so doing, offers a new perspective on the oeuvre of the famous designer duo.
Exhibition | 20.05.2021 – 26.09.2021, deSingel, Antwerp
Opening event | 19.05.2021 at 8pm, YouTube
Bataille & ibens
Interior architects Claire Bataille (b.1940) and Paul ibens (1939-2020) belong to one of the first generations to shape the discipline of interior architecture in Belgium. They placed the importance of interior design on the map. Their work became an example of best practice and a reference point for students and colleagues. The Bataille & ibens oeuvre, which spans almost six decades, testifies to an extremely diverse and wide-ranging practice. It encompasses designs for homes, interiors, furniture and objects. A selection of works from the Bataille & ibens archive, ranging from plans, drawings and photographs, to furniture and objects, illustrates this rich oeuvre. Key aspects such as detail, intersections, proportions and materialisation all play a crucial role in their nuanced design approach.
"The power of the intervention lies in the balance between what is there and what is being transformed; the result must be experienced afterwards as the evidence itself, as if the transformation had always been there."‐ Paul ibens
Invisible present
Bataille & ibens’ design practice is characterised by the search for what can be described as ‘the invisible present’. For Bataille & ibens, the strength of the intervention lies in the balance between the existing and the transformation. The result is experienced as self-evident, as though it has always been present. Despite this pursuit of the invisible – which balances on the interface between late modernism, postmodernism and minimalism – they developed a signature all their own. Their design interventions, regardless of size and scale, were always developed from a thoughtful detailing. Unfolding the Archives #3 takes ‘detail’ as its starting point in order to open up a new perspective on Bataille & ibens’ oeuvre.
"The search (...) for the balance between the smallest component and the greater whole has always appealed to us"‐ Claire Bataille
Collection
The Flanders Architecture Institute acquired the entire Bataille & ibens archive in 2012. A selection of documents provides an initial glimpse of this fascinating and diverse collection.
to the collection"The temporality and fragility of interiors underlines the importance of the archive. By preserving plans, drawings, models, photographs, furniture and objects, this knowledge remains part of the history of interior architecture."‐ Eva Storgaard, curator
Unfolding the Archives
In the Unfolding the Archives series, the Flanders Architecture Institute exhibits major pieces, hidden treasures and striking discoveries from its collection. It enriches contemporary architectural themes with a historical dimension, shows newly acquired archives to visitors for the first time, or elucidates prominent figures or moments from architectural history.
Unfolding the Archives # Bataille & ibens
production
Flanders Architecture Institute and deSingel
curator
Eva Storgaard
exhibition
Unfolding the Archives #3 Bataille & ibens
deSingel International Arts Campus, Antwerp
Thu 20 Mau → Sun 26 Sep 2021
open Wed → Sun / 2 → 7pm and during evening performances
(closed on Mon, Tue)
free, but you need to register at vai.be
opening event
Unfolding the Archives #3 Bataille & ibens
Wed 19 May 2021 – online at 8pm
VAi YouTube-channel
Special thanks to
Claire Bataille, Paul ibens, Titania Van de Velde, Iris Van der Schueren, Paul Wauters, Eva Plasmans, Marc Dubois, Moniek Bucquoye, Campus Vesta, Bulo
The programme of the Flanders Architecture Institute is made possible by
Reynaers Aluminium, Bulo, Gyproc, Stone, Modular, Febelcem, Wienerberger en Forster Dejond