Hella Jongerius: Whispering Things

More than 400 objects trace the experimental practice of Dutch designer Hella Jongerius at the Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe Hamburg. Whispering Things, organized by the Vitra Design Museum, brings together furniture, textiles, ceramics, and early prototypes to examine how she has approached the making of objects over three decades.

The exhibition moves from commercially produced designs for companies such as Vitra and IKEA to more sculptural investigations of material and color. Sketches, collages, and films reveal the processes behind the finished work, including experiments that resist the predictability of industrial production. Throughout her career, Jongerius has returned to the relationship between craftsmanship and manufacturing, considering how objects can retain the irregularities and physical traces of their making.