atelier van lieshout at mumok museum of modern art

atelier van lieshout: out site_04 mumok museum of modern art, vienna march 5th to may 2nd, 2010

dutch studio atelier van lieshout (AVL) will be exhibiting three bars which they have designed over the last few years as part of the ‘out site_04’ exhibition at the mumok, vienna. the installation will include AVL’s ‘darwin’ (2008), ‘bikinibar’ (2006) and ‘barrectum’ (2005).

atelier van lieshout barrectum, 2005 fiberglass, 800 x 800 x 250 cm image simulation of mumok installation image © atelier van lieshout

bar rectum / arsch bar / asshole bar / bar anus. while the translations sound different, the form is universally recognizable. the bar takes its shape from the human digestive system. it starts with the tongue, continuing down to the stomach, moving through the small and large intestines and exiting through the anus. while bar rectum is anatomically correct, the last part of the large intestine has been inflated into a humongous size to hold as many drinking customers at the bar as possible. the anus itself is part of a large door that doubles as an emergency exit.

atelier van lieshout barrectum, 2005 fiberglass, 800 x 800 x 250 cm image © atelier van lieshout

atelier van lieshout bikinibar, 2006 fiberglass, 950 x 600 x 300 cm image © atelier van lieshout

the ‘bikinibar’ is a meeting point for elderly people: beautiful, cruel and sensual with a nice interior space. both art and architecture, ‘bikinibar’ represents a building as a sculpture and a sculpture as a building. there is a place to rest inside, where people can withdraw from the busy beach life or bad weather. ‘bikinibar’ is the only female body you can enter without permission.

atelier van lieshout bikinibar, 2006 fiberglass, 950 x 600 x 300 cm image simulation of mumok installation image © atelier van lieshout

this large purple sperm is blown up to extreme proportion. one can enter at the end of the sperm, where inside there is a bed and small desk. ‘darwin’ implies power, status, expansion and reproduction. it reflects social darwinism ideas and the need for survival in all aspects of our lives, whether biological or corporate.

atelier van lieshout (24)