1/10
Makanda masks, tusk, trumpet & oliphant from the Congo. White, high-gloss, directionally cantilevered pedestals present the works to the viewer, foregrounding their color & texture. © Naho Kubota
2/10
Threshold into Krannert's East Galleries and the World on the Horizon's exhibition from the adjacent Noel Gallery. © Naho Kubota
3/10
26 humidity-moderated cases constitute the family of pedestals. 15 of the cases are identical and were designed to have a second, post-WOH life housing Krannert's decorative arts permanent collection. © Naho Kubota
4/10
R+L merged two permanent galleries by overlaying a third, rotated room that organizes the contents of the 5,200sf exhibition on new axes. © Naho Kubota
5/10
Four curatorial sections are organized around the In the Presence of Words section which is contained within its own gallery - a third rotated room within the Krannert's East Gallery. © Naho Kubota
6/10
Threshold between the two permanent galleries and a new third, rotated room that organizes the contents of the 5,200sf exhibition on new axes. © Naho Kubota
7/10
The new rotated gallery defines four curatorial sections around it. Above, Ocean of Adornment (left) and In the Presence of Words (right). © Naho Kubota
8/10
26 humidity-moderated cases constitute the family of pedestals. 15 of the cases are identical and were designed to have a second, post-WOH life housing Krannert's decorative arts permanent collection. Courtesy Krannert Art Museum
9/10
R+L merged two permanent galleries by overlaying a third, rotated room that organizes the contents of the 5,200sf exhibition on new axes.
10/10
Overview of Architecture of the Port and Between Land and Sea (beyond). © Naho Kubota

WORLD ON THE HORIZON

Krannert Art Museum, multiple venues

Proposal 2015-16
Project 2016-17
Completion 2017

World on the Horizon: Swahili Arts Across the Indian Ocean opened to the public in Aug 2017 at Krannert Art Museum on the campus of the University of Illinois - it is the first major traveling exhibition dedicated to the arts of the Swahili coast.

R+L created a series of simple, directionally cantilevered pedestals that privilege the works within and define the show's five curatorial sections. 26 humidity-moderated cases constitute the family of pedestals. 15 of the cases are identical and were designed to have a second, post-WOH life housing Krannert's decorative arts permanent collection. R+L merged two permanent galleries by overlaying a third, rotated room that organizes the contents of the 5,200sf exhibition on new axes.

Having run through Mar 24, 2018 at KAM, WOH then traveled to the new National Museum of African Art/Smithsonian Institution, and the Fowler Museum at UCLA.

Rice+Lipka Architects
Principals: Lyn Rice & Astrid Lipka
Sr Designers: Guanyi Zhang
Project Team: Safaa Alnabelseya

Curators: Prita Meier and Allyson Purpura