The work of art was temporarily installed for two years on the façade of De Witte Dame (MU) in Eindhoven and then placed in storage. The Hermitage was donated by the TU Eindhoven to the Netherlands Architecture Institute and was fully restored. The work’s prominent new location on the border of the city centre and the Museumpark amplifies its expressive power.
This parasite-like steel sculpture – Woods’ only realised project in the public realm – graces the east side of the storage building. The Hermitage was created in 1999 as a partnership between the TU Eindhoven and the MU Art Foundation. Woods made an abstract ‘hermitage’, which represents the tension between the individual and the masses.
Year
2004
Location
Jongkindstraat 5
Dimensions
Length 7 m
Material
Steel
Client
TU Eindhoven
Owner
Nieuwe Instituut
Lebbeus Woods
Lebbeus Woods (Lansing, USA, 1940-2012) was an architect based in New York. He is often associated with the group of avant-garde architects including Coop Himmelb(l)au and Daniel Libeskind. Their deconstructivist architecture has influenced younger generations of architects and designers. Woods is best known for his ominous drawings that have inspired filmmakers, visual artists, musicians and graffiti artists. Woods has lectured, given workshops and exhibited from Sarajevo to Havana. He was a Professor of Architecture at The Cooper Union in New York City.