A Radical Modernist
The Enigma of Mart Stam
The exhibition stages the highly creative, restless and enigmatic life of Mart Stam, the “Mystery Man” of Modernism in the form of seven themes like an adventurous tour de force through the architecture, design and ideas of the 20th century.
At the age of just 23 years, Mart Stam begins working in various offices in Amsterdam, Berlin, Frankfurt, Moscow, Thun and Zürich, often on groundbreaking projects. In 1926 he creates the legendary cantilever chair, designs apartments for the Weissenhof Settlement in Stuttgart, and works as a municipal planner in the Soviet Union between 1930 and 1934. This is followed, among other things, by collaboration with Willem Sandberg at the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, and in the early 1950s in the position as director at the Academy of Arts in Dresden and the College of Applied Arts in Berlin-Weißensee.
With his gradual retreat from the limelight into a life of religious and spiritual seclusion at various addresses in Switzerland, the Dutchman played an active role in building the legend and the associated mystery around his person.
Thank you
Exhibition benefactor
In-kind sponsor
Marta partners
Many thanks to the Marta Herford Corporate Partners and Corporate Premium Partners as well as the Marta Fund for New Art for their ongoing support of our program.
