Kvadrat Partners with New Museum for “Chiron” Exhibition Chronicling Immigration Policy
Danish textile manufacturer Kvadrat and the New Museum in New York City have one thing in common: a deep appreciation for modern art. In fact, Kvadrat and the museum teamed up in 2017 and formed a three-year partnership to support the work of ambitious new artists. The latest to come from the partnership is “Chiron,” a newly-opened exhibition by Adelita Husni-Bey. “Chiron” is a multimedia installation chronicling the impact of immigration policy in the United States.
The installation, which celebrated its opening weekend on January 26 and runs through April 14, showcases Husni-Bey’s newest film, which is also titled Chiron. In the film, Husni-Bey works with lawyers who provide pro-bono representation to undocumented immigrants and their families and incorporates textile banners overlaid with extracts from immigration legislation from 1882 to 2017. The partnership allowed Kvadrat to support Husni-Bey’s first major show by working with her to produce the textiles used throughout the film. The banners also hang as part of the on-site installation at the New Museum. Kvadrat provided its Frost window treatment textile for Husni-Bey’s exhibition and film.
“When we started the three-year collaboration with the New Museum, our aim was to encourage artists engaging creatively with textile in the development of a new site specific work,” Njusja de Gier, senior vice president of marketing at Kvadrat, told Interior Design. “As the second project in this series, we are honored that we have been given the opportunity to work so closely with the talented Adelita Husni-Bey and help introduce her work to new audiences. It is remarkable to see how she has incorporated textiles in her film and installation to create a powerful commentary the history of immigration.”
The first exhibition produced as part of the partnership with the New Museum was RU by Petrit Halilaj and was on view from 2017 to 2018. Kvadrat has an established history of collaborating with contemporary artists; previous partnerships include works with Thomas Demand, Olafur Eliasson, Sarah Lucas, Cildo Meireles, Philippe Parreno, Rosemarie Trockel, among many others. Kvadrat has been fast on the wheels of innovation; within days of the exhibit’s opening, the brand also announced the debut of its first outdoor textile line.
