Adolf Loos and Josef Hoffmann

2020 – 150th anniversary of the birth of two outstanding austrian architects

More than 40 years ago, Peter Noever designed together with Oswald Oberhuber (rector of the university of applied arts, Vienna) a comprehensive Hoffmann exhibition, exclusively from the collections of the two entities.

„Ich warne Sie vor Josef Hoffmann“ („I warn you by Josef Hoffmann“) a quote from Adolf Loos. He was unrestrained in his attack on Josef Hoffmann and the „Wiener Werkstätte“. Since 1986, Peter Noever initiated / curated a series of exhibitions and publications on the two architects.

Exhibitions

• In 1986 the newly reconstructed 1:1 portal of the American Bar, Vienna by Adolf Loos was shown in the exhibition “Wiener Bauplätze - Verschollene Träume” („Vienna Building Sites - Lost Dreams“) at the MAK prior to being installed at the site.

• Josef Hoffmann – “Ornament zwischen Hoffnung und Verbrechen“ ("Ornament between Hope and Crime"), 1987 MAK, Vienna (curated by Peter Noever / Oswald Oberhuber)
and
• Hermitage, Leningrad / St. Petersburg, Soviet Union, 1991/92

• Josef Hoffmann „DESIGNS” - IBM Gallery of Art and Science, New York, 1992/93
Curated by Peter Noever together with Christian Witt-Dörring, Daniela Zyman
and
• Josef Hoffmann Museum, Brtnice, Czech Republic, 1992

• „Josef Hoffmann - Adolf Loos - Ornament and Tradition“, Josef Hoffmann Museum, Brtnice, Czech Republic, 2007
By Peter Noever, curated by Rainald Franz

• „Yearning for Beauty - The Wiener Werkstätte and the Stoclet House“, Palais des Beaux-Arts, Bruxelles, 2006
Exhibition by Peter Noever and Heimo Zobernig / artistic intervention: Heimo Zobernig / project supervision: Martina Kandeler-Fritsch

Publications

<p>„Der Preis der Schönheit - Yearning for Beauty“, Palais des Beaux-Arts Bruxelles, 2006: Catalog - Edited by Peter Noever, Etienne Davignon, Paul Dujardin, Anne Mommens; Essay by Eduard F. Sekler; Hatje Cantz Verlag, 2006, ISBN-13: 978-3-7757-1778-6</p><p>(archive peter noever)</p>

<p>Bookcover „Tradition und Experiment“ edited by Peter Noever, 1988<br />Photo - „American Bar“ portal by Adolf Loos and „Das Steinhaus“ by Günther Domenig<br />Publisher: Residenz Verlag Salzburg, Wien; 300 pages, ISBN 3-7017-0577-1 <br />(archive peter noever)</p>

<p>„Josef Hoffmann Designs“, edited by Peter Noever, 1992<br />Prestel-Verlag, Munich, Germany, 331 pages, ISBN 3-7913-1229-4<br />(archive peter noever) </p>

<p>Josef Hoffmann – „Ornament zwischen Hoffnung und Verbrechen“ („Ornament between Hope and Crime“), edited by Peter Noever and Oswald Oberhuber, 1987; Residenz Verlag Salzburg, 382 Pages; ISBN 3-900688-01-X</p><p>(archive peter noever)</p>

Excerpt of Philip Johnson’s opening speech at the IBM Gallery for Art and Science, Nov 23, 1992, New York
(archive peter noever)