End of April, the Museum of Architecture and Design (MAO), in close collaboration with the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Slovenia, presented ENSEMBLE – Gerrit Rietveld and the MAO Collection. This landmark exhibition is the first in Slovenia to feature original works by Dutch design pioneer Gerrit Rietveld (1888–1964), offering a rare opportunity to experience his iconic furniture and domestic objects in person.

Initiated by the Embassy as a public diplomacy project and developed together with Ms Maja Vardjan, Director of MAO, the exhibition brings to light an exceptional private collection of Rietveld’s furniture and household objects, never before shown publicly. The preview of the exhibition was held during the Dutch King’s Day reception for invited guests, marking it as a cornerstone of this year’s Dutch–Slovene cultural collaboration.

A Diplomatic and Cultural Partnership

This exhibition is more than a celebration of an iconic designer — it is the result of close cooperation between institutions and individuals committed to strengthening cultural dialogue. As part of the Embassy’s public diplomacy strategy, work on the project began in 2024, with the goal of fostering deeper ties through shared values of innovation, design, and sustainability.

As Ambassador Johan O. Verboom stated: “These pieces have become icons — found in museums around the world and reissued for modern interiors — not because they are simply beautiful, but because they speak to deeper values: transparency, function, and a belief in accessible, thoughtful design.”

A Visionary of Modernism

Rietveld’s legacy is inextricably linked with the De Stijl movement and the emergence of modernist design in Europe. His Red and Blue Chair and the Rietveld Schröder House are global symbols of 20th-century architecture and design. Rietveld’s practice evolved from his early training in his father’s workshop to his engagement with the radical ideals of artists such as Theo van Doesburg and Bart van der Leck. Throughout his career, he explored structural honesty, reduction of form, and innovative materials — as seen in pieces like the Zig-Zag Chair, the Crate series, and the Steltman Chair.

“Gerrit Rietveld is a name that resonates far beyond the Netherlands, and a figure whose legacy is deeply woven into the international story of modern design,” Ambassador Verboom emphasized. “His work laid the foundation for what we now recognize as Dutch design — grounded in clarity, bold thinking, and a refusal to separate aesthetics from ethics.”

A Dutch–Slovene Design Dialogue

The exhibition centers around a remarkable private collection built from the 1990s onward, largely comprising works from Rietveld’s workshop, established in 1917. The workshop — in long-term collaboration with master craftsman Gerard A. van de Groenekan — became a space for developing, refining, and iterating many of Rietveld’s seminal pieces.

ENSEMBLE thoughtfully places these Dutch design masterpieces in conversation with the MAO collection and key figures from Slovenian modernism, including Oton Jugovec, Niko Kralj, Marjeta Pirkmajer Kregar, Gizela Šuklje, and Ciril Tavčar. Their works are presented alongside Rietveld’s to highlight shared interests in construction, materiality, and the role of design in shaping modern life.

A Contemporary Lens

The exhibition does more than trace Rietveld’s influence — it re-reads his design processes through a contemporary lens. In an age increasingly defined by environmental challenges, the exhibition emphasizes the relevance of his approach to sustainable materials, modular thinking, and socially accessible design. These values resonate with Slovenia’s own modernist tradition and offer insight into how historical design can guide present and future practice.

ENSEMBLE is presented with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Slovenia and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Slovenia. We warmly invite you to experience ENSEMBLE — an exhibition of ideas, materials, and cultural exchange that celebrates two nations’ shared design heritage and creative vision.

Additional information