Red, Yellow, Blue

The Hamburger Kinderzimmer opened in September 2009 in the Gallery of Contemporary Art of the Hamburger Kunsthalle. The internationally acclaimed artist Olafur Eliasson (born in Copenhagen in 1967) has designed this space where both children (aged 6 to 12) and adults can have fun and explore their creativity in a hands-on environment. In the centre of the room, which is located on the ground floor of the Gallery of Contemporary Art, is an interactive work by Eliasson entitled »The structural evolution project«. At a large table equipped with Zometools – mulitcoloured rods of varying diameter and octagonal connector balls – visitors of all ages are invited to create imaginative structures, crystalline forms and architectural designs. Eliasson has integrated features from his other works into »The structural evolution project« especially for the Hamburger Kinderzimmer (Children’s Room in the Hamburger Kunsthalle): around the walls of the room he has installed a complex arrangement of partly mirrored shelving structures, creating a unique exhibition space where visitors can present the works they have made.

To encourage children to develop new, imaginative creations with the »Zometools«, small-scale thematic exhibitions aimed specifically at younger visitors will be shown in the Children’s Room. The first children’s exhibition that featured paintings, sculptures and prints by artists ranging from the 17th-century Dutch painters through to Picasso, was devoted to »Mirror Images«. The actual exhibition is called »Red, Yellow, Blue« and focuses on colours and shapes. It presents artworks of several artists like Philipp Otto Runge, Henri Matisse, Yves Klein and Dan Flavin amonst others.

The Stiftung für die Hamburger Kunstsammlungen has generously financed the Hamburger Kinderzimmer project to mark the fifty-year anniversary of its foundation. The Hamburger Kunsthalle is very grateful for this purchase of Olafur Eliasson’s work.

Special thanks for the Hans Brökel Stiftung für Wissenschaft und Kultur for supporting the Hamburger Kinderzimmer with educational work. We would also like to thank the Malschule in der Kunsthalle, BUDNIANER HILFE and Montana Møbler A/S for their support.

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