Endless House
Endless House considers the single-family home and archetypes of dwelling as a theme for the creative endeavors of architects and artists. Through drawings, photographs, video, installations, and architectural models drawn from MoMA’s collection, the exhibition highlights how artists have used the house as a means to explore universal topics, and how architects have tackled the design of residences to expand their discipline in new ways.
The exhibition also marks the 50th anniversary of the death of Viennese-born artist and architect Frederick Kiesler (1890–1965). Taking its name from an unrealized project by Kiesler, Endless House celebrates his legacy and the cross-pollination of art and architecture that made Kiesler’s 15-year project a reference point for generations to come. Work by architects and artists spanning more than seven decades are exhibited alongside materials from Kiesler’s Endless House design and images of its presentation in MoMA’s 1960 Visionary Architecture exhibition. Intriguing house designs—ranging from historical projects by Mies van der Rohe, Frank Gehry, Peter Eisenman, and Rem Koolhaas, to new acquisitions from Smiljan Radic and Asymptote Architecture—are juxtaposed with visions from artists such as Louise Bourgeois, Bruce Nauman, Mario Merz, and Rachel Whiteread. Together these works demonstrate how the dwelling occupies a central place in a cultural exchange across generations and disciplines.