The first large-scale solo exhibition of the work of Jaime Hayón, Funtastico is currently on at the Groninger Museum in Groningen, The Netherlands. Hayón is arguable one of the most acclaimed designers of his generation and at just 39 years of age has produced a vast array autonomous and applied projects in various materials such as ceramics, wood, glass and textiles spanning product, furniture and interior design.
The Groninger Museum has been following Jaime Hayón for quite some time. In 2009, the museum purchased two large installations (Mediterranean Digital Baroque and Mon Cirque) and in 2010 he designed the museum’s new information centre.
The exhibition includes the installations Mediterranean Digital Baroque and Mon Cirque as well as the now iconic Green Chicken and commissioned works for clients such as Baccarat and Lladro. American Chateau, the collaborative project he made with his partner artist, Nienke Klunder, is also featured in the exhibition.
A remarkable element of the exhibition is The Tournament: a unique work that consists of a life-size chess set made of turned wood and hand-painted ceramics, which the Groninger Museum managed to purchase recently. Hayón created this work in 2009, having been commissioned by the London Design Festival to do so; the work was inspired by the Battle of Trafalgar. This is the Dutch première of the artwork. The intention is to organize chess games at specified times.
Funtastico offers you the opportunity to step into the fun and fantastical world of Jaime Hayón; a world where art and design, reality and fantasy, function and fun meet.
The exhibition runs till 30 March 2014.
