‘Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better…’.

Inspired by Samuel Beckett's quote, the Kunstmuseum Olten is opening an exhibition dedicated to architects' preliminary hand drawings.

The exhibition is created by the Kunstmuseum Olten in collaboration with architects/curators Manuel Montenegro, Helen Thomas, and Marco Bakker. It will present sketches that manifest initial spatial thoughts and structural ideas for architectural design - highlighting hand drawing as the universal language of architecture. The exhibition shows over 160 works from the Drawing Matter archive (UK) and the archives of EPFL Lausanne, ETH Zurich, and USI Mendrisio, spanning five centuries. Additionally, drawings from contemporary Swiss architects will be included in the exhibition. Among them are two sketches from the E2A archive. 

Related to this exhibition, a book will be published by Park Books. With texts by Manuel Montenegro, Helen Thomas, Álvaro Siza, Marco Bakker, Dorothee Messmer, and Katja Herlach, as well as interludes by Pier Vittorio Aureli, Adam Caruso, Irina Davidovici, Niall Hobhouse, Ludovica Molo, and others. Book Design by Mathias Clottu Studio (222 pages, book launch in August 2024).

opening: May 31st, 2024
exhbition: June 1st, 2024 - August 25th, 2024
venue: Kunstmuseum Olten, Kirchgasse 8, 4600 Olten
 
Further information on the exhibition Begin Again. Fail Better
Invitation Begin Again. Fail Better, Kunstmuseum Olten