Unspoken Spaces by Olafur Eliasson

by Olafur Eliasson

The first monograph of Olafur Eliasson in more than ten years, produced in close collaboration with the artist and his studio, explores his driving interest in finding visionary shapes to physically represent abstract ideas. It is a richly illustrated journey through spheres, tunnels, towers, walkways, and archways, as well as pavilions and larger buildings realized by Eliasson and his studio since the late 1990s. The work is illuminated by in-depth project descriptions and Eliasson’s own words. Informative essays by renowned writers across a variety of fields—from geologists and historians of art and science to architects, artists, and philosophers—give the works context.


Eliasson’s works around the world range from small-scale experiments, such as pavilions or tunnels, to large-scale public projects, among them such seminal works as The Serpentine Pavilion (2007) in London (with Kjetil Thorsen), Your Rainbow Panorama (2011) in Aarhus, Denmark, or the crystalline façade for Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Centre (2005–11) in Reykjavik. The works investigate the nature of space itself, in particular considering how space is actively conceived of by viewers as they move through and perceive the artwork.

Genres: Art

Hardcover

First published March 15, 2016

Reviews

[emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘Geruchstunnel is an architecture of smells. Smells trigger memories, experiences, felt densities, and movement. Their ephemerality – their fleeting, yet cyclical, appearance – suggests that we evaluate what constitutes space, a space, shared space. And what’s great is that they counterbalance the commercial focus on experiences as consumption, which we are struggling to overturn today…For me, personally, smells are fertilizers of future ideas. A smell may evoke an as yet unthought thought. A smell is comfortable existing in non-verbal realms; it allows for a feeling of intensity, of volume.

Fog makes space explicit; so does smell.’

There is a lot that I like about this, but I don't really know how to talk about it. But I'm very certain of my want/need to read this again, again, and again. Is Eliasson overhyped? Or has the 'hype' died down? I don't know, but either ways, I like him. He's cool. My favourite art installation that I've 'seen'/'experienced' of his is of course, the moss wall (Tate Modern, London), and the poetry hands thing (Fotografiska, Stockholm) that was mentioned and discussed in this book.

[Joana Diniz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed the artist's texts.