The first solo exhibition dedicated to Dutch designer Sabine Marcelis has opened at the Museum für Gestaltung Zürich. Titled “Sabine Marcelis – Light and Color,” the exhibition offers the most comprehensive overview of her work to date, tracing her practice from the opening of her studio in 2011 to the present.
The exhibition examines Marcelis’ sustained interest in light and color while offering visitors a closer look at her creative processes. Rather than presenting a conventional archive, the designer said she wanted the show to provide insight into how she works and how her Rotterdam-based studio explores light, materials and color. Marcelis graduated from the Design Academy Eindhoven in 2011.
With an emphasis on her current practice, Marcelis revisited her relationship with UK-based lava lamp manufacturer Mathmos for a site-specific installation. The work features oversized, floor-to-ceiling lava lamps set inside a mirrored room.
Earlier works are also included, despite the exhibition’s focus on the present. The selection features Marcelis’ “Candy Cube” series, first presented in 2014, as well as the “Tall Stripe” piece from 2013.
The exhibition’s scenography was developed by Marcelis and her studio, using lighting to intensify the material qualities of the works. One section includes a light tunnel displaying pieces from her IKEA VARMBLIXT collection.
The exhibition follows the Museum für Gestaltung Zürich’s previous presentations dedicated to Jasper Morrison in 2016, Formafantasma in 2022 and Tatiana Bilbao in 2024. “Sabine Marcelis – Light and Color” will remain on view until April 4, 2027.
Sources: Hypebeast.