From the beginning …

The first time I came across the reconstruction of Piet Mondrian’s original Paris studio (1921-1936), was while visiting the exhibition Interior/Exterior: Living in Art, curated by Markus Brüderlin, at Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg in 2009. A thematic exhibition of modernist furniture, architectural photography, scale models, historical and contemporary drawing and painting, documentary videos and newly commissioned works. The exhibition critically traced relationships and the dichotomy between the interior as an inner view and a space for artistic reflection, and the home design concepts between the poles of art and design in the 20th and 21st centuries. The interior as an icon of modernism.

An unplanned visit. I had no specific agenda other than to take some time-out from Wolfsburg city. I learned that a selection of Mondrian paintings were a feature of the show and I decided to pay a visit. Walking through the curated displays, I eventually found myself standing inside what I thought was a section of Mondrian’s real studio, somehow transported and assembled into the exhibition. I then learned that the space was an exacting replica of Mondrian’s original Paris studio. I was familiar with historical black and white photographs of Mondrian and his studio taken by Paul Delbo and André Kertész during the 1920s and 1930s. The reconstruction was a new phenomenon. Who built it? Why? and what is its function/purpose/ intention? Some of the questions this architectural structure triggered.

Delbo’s and Kertész’s historical photographs are the images which first introduced me to the depiction of Mondrian and the representation of his Paris studio. Presently, standing in the full colour reconstruction, with Delbo’s and Kertész’s historical images simultaneously at the forefront of my mind, was a surreal experience. A momentary response to the reconstruction, which embedded a lasting mark on my mind. Examples of well-established reconstructions of artist studios are seen by Francis Bacon’s permanent studio installation at the Hugh Lane Museum, Dublin, and Constantine Brancusi’s sculpture’s studio, located on the grounds of the Pompidou Centre, Paris. The Bacon and Brancusi reconstructions are classic examples of institutional and museological display. They function as a method of homage. In addition, the concept or practice of reconstruction is a method adopted by numerous visual artists who re-interpret historical and cultural narratives in a contemporary context. In Postma’s reconstruction, I observed conflicting qualities between these two poles. Something (but not quite sure what) felt out-of-sync. 

 During this time, I was in the middle of producing and directing the moving-image production An Artist, the Studio, and all the rest…  for my solo show at the RHA, Dublin. Therefore, while held in this space with Mondrian and thereconstructed studio, I had to remain focused on this pressing work. To think upon Mondrian and the reconstruction, I felt would open a set of new complex layers. I departed the museum and I decided to put those thoughts aside. 

In 2013 , I came across images of the reconstruction circulating online to highlight a new major exhibition at Tate Liverpool to mark the 70th anniversary of Mondrian’s death called Mondrian and his Studios, curated by Francesco Manacorda and Michael White. The exhibition struck my attention because the reconstructed studio was the main press images to highlight the event. I remember thinking how curious it was that a replica of Mondrian’s studio was used as oppossed to, for example, an image of Delbo or Kertész. I was being drawn into the exhibition through a reproduction, a replica, a copy of Mondrian, a copy of the studio. It was from this point in 2013 my thoughts returned to narratives and representations of Mondrian, his studio, and that specific reconstruction. Reflecting on this now, I believe I was waiting for the right time to revisit those first impressions the studio embedded in my mind back in 2009. With a reignited curiosity sparked off from the forthcoming Tate Liverpool exhibition, I began the investigative process to research who built this space and why? Who owns it? Was it for a specific commission? A museological or curatorial display exercise? An artist installation or an architectural demonstration? And many more questions in-between. I felt compelled to mine deeper down into exploring the reconstruction further for the potential it presented to develop new work. 

My first conscious step into initiating this new work, was an email to Madalena Holtzman of the Mondrian Trust in 2013- daughter of Harry Holtzman, and the estate of Piet Mondrian. The Mondrian Trust seeks to promote awareness of Mondrian’s artwork and ensure the integrity of his work by managing copyright and reproduction rights. This seemed like a good place to start. Before composing an email, I asked myself the question: What am I trying to achieve here? What am I getting myself into? I felt strongly that the research process would unfold new rich material. After speaking with Madalena Holtzman, she introduced me to the Dutch architect Frans Postma, who confirmed was the architect of the Reconstructed Paris Studio of Mondrian, and the founder of the organisation STAM: STichting reconstructie Atelier Mondriaan, now more commonly referred to as Foundation Reconstruction of Mondrian’s Studio.

STAM & the Architect

STAM’s spatial, geographical, and historical research was impressive. What I found was one man’s passion which focused on the STIJL period, and more specifically, on Mondrian’s 26 Rue de Départ Paris studio. STAM’s website describes how in 1984 the idea originated to make scale-models based on drawings and photographs from the STIJL period, as a method to “experience the influence of the Neoplastic art on presented space”. In the examples of photographic documentation illustrated throughout STAM’s site, it shows immaculate architectural scale-models of Mondrian’s Paris studio. Postma’s scale-models where produced by appropraiting Delbo’s and Kertezs’s historical black and white photographs as a visual reference point. Postma then employed an enthescope technique to reproduce the studios spatial, volumetric, and architectural qualities in scale-model form. By working with the original studio floor plans, it shows how Postma was able to accurately calculate the shape and layout of the studio andhighlight the defining architectural features of the space. Postma’s detailed architectural drawings help to demonstratehow Mondrian re-arranged the layout and composition of his studio. One got a sense of how Mondrian staged and re-staged his studio by changing the shape and form of the space, creating an illusion of space, and expand its interiority. 

To mark the 50th anniversary of Mondrian’s death, Postma outlines how in 1994 he began the process of reconstructing the full-size reconstruction for the exhibition Mondrian’s studio: Earthly Paradise, at the Beurs van Berlage in Amsterdam. The exhibition also featured artists from the STIJL period. The full-scale reconstruction was a central element of the overall installation. It wasn’t clear if this was a commission or if the architect took it upon himself to carry out the reconstruction as an independent project. Yet, the two key dates stand out - the 1984 scale models -  and the 1994 full scale reconstruction. This duration in time gave me the impression that this was a individuals long-term and life-time ambitious work. While my primary focus was to find out more about the reconstructed studio, I became equally drawn to the biography and intentions of its architect. There was practically no back story to Postma, and my attention turned towards the maker of the reconstruction. I had to meet the man himself. In 2013, I crafted my first email to Postma requesting to meet with him in person at his home in Delft, Holland. Looking back over my journals, I logged notes of plans and thoughts when developing this work. One of the journals contained Q&A’s I had with Postma. Let’s just say I certainly bombarded Postma with questions. After our lengthy first meeting at his home office, from where he manages STAM, we shared a meal and we agreed to keep in touch. A fit and spritely man in his early 70’s, with a determined desire to showcase his reconstruction to the world. He was very agreeable to continue a productive relationship with me from this point onwards. Seven years later (at the time of writing this), I can safely say that after many meetings, challenges, and breakthroughs, we have great respect and admiration for each other as practitioners. The work and research Postma has shared, not just with me, but in visual culture, stands as a rich contribution to cultural society.

Enter the Gemeentemuseum …

The Gemeentemuseum has played a major role in the development of Reconstructing Mondrian. The Gemeentemuseum is one of Europe’s largest museums and houses the biggest Mondrian collections comprising over 300 works. The building is stunning, and the collection was an eye opener. Not only did the museum have some of the best examples of Mondrian’s original works it also dedicated part of its museum to other artists’ who incorporated or interpreted Mondrian, and other leading artists from Modernist movements in their work. A particular highlight was Nancy J. Troy’s ‘The Afterlife of Piet Mondrian’ (2013), which concentrated on the marketing of the image and representation of Mondrian after his death. I don’t use the word inspiring often, but I can’t think of a more fitting word to describe my experience of the Gemeentemuseum. 

Throughout the duration of producing Reconstructing Mondrian, I visited the Gemeentemuseum on many occasions. I organised many meetings with Postma there, and I also had the pleasure of meeting with Benno Temple, the Director of the Gemeentemuseum, who introduced me to broader aspects of the collection. The museum became a site for critical research, but it also became a site for production. The two major collection shows Mondrian and De Stijl (2004), and The Discovery of Mondrian (2017), each with comprehensive accompanying publications, included Postma’s architectural scale-models of Mondrian’s Paris, Dutch, and New York studios. For the 2017 collection show, the Gemeentemuseum commissioned Postma to install the full-scale reconstructed studio into the museum exhibition. Each time I visited the museum, I brought a compact mirrorless video camera and tripod with a variety of lenses. I used the opportunity to video and photograph the scale-models and the full-scale reconstructed studio as research and developmental material. I then brought the material back to my edit suite in Dublin, to carry out production planning tests, create story boards, and assemble shot-lists. As part of this process I created a digital 3D version of the studio and used this digital 3D model to reconstruct shots and technical camera movements. As I became more familiar with every detail and dimension of the space, and explored every possible camera angle, I began to wonder: what if I had full control of the studio? By filming and reconstructing it from a new perspective, could I achieve a sense of place and space which Postma was attempting through his reconstruction? Could this approach better reflect and emulate Mondrian Neoplastism? And, with the exhaustive Mondrian related projects already in the world, is it possible to produce or say something new?  

 Leading up to the production …

Leading up to the film production of Reconstructing Mondrian, which finally took place at Allard Film Studios in Amsterdam in 2018, these were some of the questions which informed the aesthetic, conceptual, and technical decisions. Getting to this point was a long journey, but worth the wait. A year and a half before stepping onto the film set, I introduced the project to the cinematographer Narayan Van Meale. I previouosly worked with Narayan on a number of productions over the years, and we had a good understanding of each others ways of working. As further crew members came on-board, I had to ensure that everyone who was going to be working on-set was familiar with Postma, the reconstruction, the original Paris studio, Mondrian, his painting, and Mondrian’s legacy. Eventually, and by the time we landed in Amsterdam to prepare for the shoot, there was a sense of shared understanding about the nature of the production ahead, and the level of attention to detail required. Each person on-set brought their own quality and skill into the crafting of the shot. After many years in the making it was truly a pleasure to see the results unfold. I was extremely fortunate to work with such professionals who went that extra step further. I can’t thank you enough for enduring me over the course of the production. I’m very tempted to highlight all that happened on set (and off-set), as it is important, and at some point, I will. For now, I will leave this here as an introduction and the brief back story towards the making of Reconstructing Mondrian. There is a lot more to be said.