We were commissioned by Verla+Axelen Group to design the setting for an temporary exhibition that was going to mark their 18th anniversary. This exhibition was going to take place in one of the ‘public spaces’ of Iulius Mall in Cluj-Napoca. Four photographers (Adrian Petrisor, Cristina Sutu, Radu Badoiu and Teodora Neagu) were on display with photographs from the Sic Nature Reserve.
The secondary aim of the event was to display a ‘tour de force’ of high quality large prints on a wide range of materials (wallpapers, stickers, films and textiles). Our concept had three major elements: the ‘wall’, the ‘background’ and the ‘parts’.
The ‘wall’ was a 5t furniture-type construction that had a double role: to host different systems like light boxes and cable display systems and to support the vertical part of the background.
The ‘background’ was a 21.15x9.9m b&w print of the Sic Nature Reserve and 3 ‘skins’ for the shopping center’s pillars. The b&w print dematerialized itself as it unfolded on the floor allowing the finishes of the shopping center to surface. The ‘skins’ were made out of aluminum angle profiles that held four 1.56x2.86cm large textile prints each. The idea behind the ‘wall’ and the ‘background’ was to try to appropriate the multiple-personality space of Iulius Mall and to introduce the visitors of the exhibition in the nature reserve’s atmosphere.
The parts consist of tear and cube shaped beanbags, tables and ceiling hung umbrellas all of them with custom made textile and sticker prints. The idea behind the custom prints of the parts was that the beanbags and tables had ground textures such as grass, fallen leaves, etc. while the ceiling hung umbrellas had sky textures such as clouds, tree branches with leaves, etc.
The end result was a unity in diversity exhibition that subordinates itself to the 'muchness' concept.
Design Team: Anamaria Moldovan, Florin-Vasile Lazar, Paul-Mihai Moldovan
Collaborator[s]: s.c. Tiparo Foto s.r.l.
Design Year: 2012
Status: Completed
Execution | Completion Year: 2012
Location: Iulius Mall, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Net area: 150 sqm
Text: ateliercetrei
Photographer[s]: Dacian Groza