SUPERFLEX and Mudam visitors build a bank for ideas in Luxembourg
An interactive art project inviting visitors of all ages to mold clay into geometric bricks and construct a city of banks in a public park.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- The Bank project developed by Mudam in collaboration with art collective SUPERFLEX
- Visitors use clay molds to create geometric, brick-like elements
- Emphasizes play as a tool to loosen rigid rules and redefine public space
- Final structures designed by SUPERFLEX based on participatory workshops at Park Dräi Eechelen
Curator António Mendes spoke with designboom about reimagining banks as a site of inquiry for a unique project at the Mudam museum in Luxembourg. By utilizing custom clay molds designed by the artist collective SUPERFLEX, workshop participants of all ages can craft brick-like elements on vibrant orange and green modeling mats, taking their creations outside to assemble a collective 'city of banks'.
Observing the clay pieces as they stack, crumble, form into rings, and rise into towers highlights the creative agency granted to every generation. The core of The Bank lies in encouraging playful exploration, not merely interacting with the physical material on the table, but radically rethinking what such a structure could actually represent.
"Play is essential because it changes our relationship to a site. It gives people permission to touch, test, move, invent and occupy space differently. Public space is often extremely regulated and, frankly, not always designed with much joy. Play temporarily loosens those rules. Children understand this immediately. Adults sometimes need an architectural excuse. The Bank provides one."
António Mendes
Curated by António Mendes and Christophe Gallois with assistance from Clara Froumenty, the project finds its true richness not in its physical appearance, but in the collaborative journey taken to reach it. In this context, a bank transcends traditional monetary storage, potentially serving as a vault for ideas, a container for small critters to stow treasures, or a central hub for food distribution.
Participatory design and playful urban interventions have become vital methods for fostering community engagement in contemporary art and architecture. By decentralizing the creative process and involving everyday citizens in the physical formation of public art, creators can challenge conventional boundaries between urban infrastructure and public expression.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
The Bank is a collaborative installation bringing together SUPERFLEX, Mudam, and workshop participants, scheduled for installation at Park Dräi Eechelen. The Copenhagen-based artist collective will construct the final permanent form drawing directly from the participatory process generated over the summer months.
Source: designboom
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