Hommage to De Stijl

The Hooghuis appears massive and closed, making it well-suited for projections. Tim Schmelzer from the Austrian collective Lichttapete emphasizes the building’s form with a projection based on the work of the art group De Stijl. Just like the Hooghuis, the work of De Stijl artists is characterized by straight lines, simple shapes, and a very restrained use of color.

De Stijl was founded in 1917, with one of its most famous members being Piet Mondrian. Artists of De Stijl aimed to break away from the painting tradition and develop a new, completely abstract vocabulary. Painting was reduced to its essence: a combination of light and dark, horizontals and verticals, and the primary colors red, yellow, and blue.

With a clear use of color and geometric shapes, Tim Schmelzer’s projection is in the tradition of De Stijl, bringing the creative ideas of the artists back to life.