Hella Jongerius: Whispering Things

EVENTS

Hella Jongerius: Whispering Things
OPENING & TALK (EN)
Friday | 13 March 2026
Opening Talk: 6 pm, Fire Station, with Hella Jongerius
Opening: 7 pm, Vitra Design Museum

For more than thirty years, Hella Jongerius has been one of the leading figures in contemporary design. Her pioneering work spans textiles, ceramics, furniture, and lighting as well as sculptural pieces. »Hella Jongerius: Whispering Things« is the first retrospective to present the full scope of the Dutch designer’s oeuvre – from early
experiments to recent works and including her collaborations with Maharam, KLM, Camper, and Vitra – and demonstrates why Jongerius continues to be a defining force in the design world. The archive of her design studio, Jongeriuslab, has been in the care of the Vitra Design Museum since 2024, providing many of the works shown in the
exhibition.

At the Opening Talk, Hella Jongerius and curator Glenn Adamson will reveal the idea behind the exhibition and discuss what it means to be the subject of a retrospective. They will talk about Jongerius’s research-driven approach, her mission to reconcile craftsmanship and industrial processes, her experiments with material and colour, and the language and meanings of objects.

The Opening gives you the chance to be among the first to view the new exhibition. Experience Jongerius’s pathbreaking designs from more than three decades and be inspired by the scope of her creativity. Celebrate with us and enjoy the atmosphere of the Vitra Design Museum en fête!

The exhibition is supported by Global Sponsor Maharam, Sponsor Camper, and the IKEA Stiftung.

Free admission, limited numbers; please register here until 5 March 2026.

Growing Together: Vitra x Jongerius x Maharam
TALK (EN)
Thursday | 16 April 2026
6.30 pm, Vitra Schaudepot

Continuity, trust, and mutual growth are key to successful creative collaboration: this is demonstrated by Hella Jongerius’s long-term partnerships with Vitra and Maharam, Global Sponsor of the exhibition »Hella Jongerius: Whispering Things«.

For Vitra, Jongerius developed the Vitra Colour & Material Library. Working over a period of several years, she organized textiles, leather, synthetics, metals, wood, and other materials in a coherent system offering innumerable possible combinations. Jongerius says: »The Vitra Colour & Material Library encourages creative freedom and fires the imagination – not by making everything possible, but by providing a clear display of options.«

The association between Jongerius and Maharam, one of the leading providers of textiles to architects and interior designers, is also of long standing. The Maharam Design Studio embraces a broad range of disciplines from product, graphic, and digital design to art and architecture. Long-term collaborations with internationally renowned designers foster an open dialogue across varied design disciplines and bring new perspectives to textile design.

Leading personalities from Jongeriuslab, Vitra, and Maharam will talk about continuity and perspective in the design world. They will discuss the innovative force of mutual trust and highlight the importance of long-lasting partnerships for the future of design.

The exhibition is supported by Global Sponsor Maharam, Sponsor Camper, and the IKEA Stiftung.

Free admission; please book your ticket at design-museum.reservix.de

Jurgen Bey: The Making of Droog Design
TALK (EN)
Thursday, 30 April 2026
6.30 pm, Vitra Schaudepot

The premiere of Droog Design at Milan’s 1993 Salone del Mobile was a sensation. A modest show of works by complete unknowns, it gave rise to an international movement that put Dutch Design firmly on the map. »Droog« is Dutch for »dry«, an apt description of the deceptive simplicity characterizing the group’s witty designs, which
combine an innovative use of everyday materials with an uncompromisingly down-toearth philosophy.

Hella Jongerius began her career with the group and soon became one of its leading figures. Throughout the 1990s, she developed her unique design approach in its context, combining craftsmanship with industrial processes and questioning traditional boundaries. By testing and expanding the possibilities offered by materials to yield products that are at once soft, thick, and strong, she created works like the Pushed Washtub (1996) currently on display in the exhibition »Hella Jongerius: Whispering Things« at the Vitra Design Museum.

Jurgen Bey (born 1965) is a renowned Dutch designer. He holds a degree from the Eindhoven Design Academy and first gained prominence with the Droog Design group, a collaboration that gave him a defining influence on the global image of Dutch Design. Bey is known for critical, context-based projects ranging from furniture to interiors and public spaces. His iconic Treetrunk Bench (1998) is part of the Vitra Design Museum’s collection. In 2002 he teamed up with Rianne Makkink to establish Studio Makkink & Bey; he also served as director of the Sandberg Institute.

Looking back at the early years of Droog Design, Jurgen Bey tells the story of the design movement and talks about working with Hella Jongerius when they were both involved with the group.

Free admission; please book your ticket at design-museum.reservix.de

Camper: Designing a Company
TALK (EN)
Thursday | 9 July 2026
6.30 pm, Vitra Schaudepot

Join us for a lively conversation about the Spanish cult shoe brand Camper, its history, and its innovative design development at an event accompanying the exhibition »Hella Jongerius: Whispering Things«. Shoemaking is a family tradition for Lorenzo Fluxa, and when he founded his own footwear company in Mallorca in 1975, it was to meet the demand for a fresh style. The radically idiosyncratic brand he created soon achieved international renown. At Camper, design means far more than product development – it defines the entire company.

The programme »Camper Together« was launched to foster collaborations with leading designers and artists to develop products and create unique concept stores. The partnerships established within this programme distinguish the Camper brand and demonstrate how creative collaboration drives innovation. When Hella Jongerius took on the role of art director in 2009, she developed a comprehensive colour scale in a system that can be used for other collections as well.

Find out more about the Camper legacy as Camper staff talk about the company’s design process and its history, discuss the philosophy underpinning the »Camper Together« programme, and reveal what it is like working together with renowned designers and artists.

Free admission; please book your ticket at design-museum.reservix.de

WORKSHOPS

Wild & Wonderful: Animal Sculptures
TOUR & WORKSHOP (DE)
Saturday, 28 March and 9 May 2026
2–5 pm, Vitra Design Museum

Join us for a themed tour of the exhibition »Hella Jongerius: Whispering Things« and discover the Dutch designer’s expressive animal sculptures. Hella Jongerius draws our attention to creatures that we tend to overlook even though we share the same world. Fangs bared, they snarl with anger and precarity, silently giving voice to endangered and forgotten species. Jongerius’s humorous yet poignant critique reminds us to act responsibly towards animals and nature.

Inspired by the tour, release your creativity in the workshop that follows it. Create your own little animal sculptures made from clay and other materials and find out which animal best expresses your emotions!

Recommended for ages 12+
€ 50 per person
Please book your ticket at design-museum.reservix.de

Kintsugi: The Golden Art of Repair
WORKSHOP (DE)
Saturday | 18 April and 13 June 2026
2–4 pm, Vitra Design Museum

Kintsugi is a traditional Japanese method of mending broken pottery using Urushi lacquer dusted with powdered gold. The visible seams lend a new dimension to the repaired objects’ beauty and value. Join the workshop with Yuko Wakasa from Yuceramics and learn all about kintsugi. A full repair involves numerous phases of drying and finishing and can take up to several weeks!

Try your hand at one of the steps in the process and develop a basic sense of the method. The plate you will repair during the workshop is included in the price. Groups will meet at the Vitra Design Museum and walk to the venue in the Tadao Ando Conference Pavilion together.

The workshop is suitable for beginners. No previous experience is necessary.
€ 45 per person, please book your ticket at design-museum.reservix.de

Bright Brooms
TOUR & WORKSHOP (DE)
Saturday | 15 August 2026
10.30 am–4 pm, Vitra Design Museum

Join us on our guided tour of the exhibition »Hella Jongerius: Whispering Things« and be inspired by its colours, materials, and techniques. Get your creativity flowing in the workshop following the tour when you try your hand at broom-making. Choose from a range of colourful fibres and learn how to create a useful object that can be purely functional, playful, or surprising. No previous experience is necessary.

Recommended for ages 14+
€ 60 per person
Please book your ticket at design-museum.reservix.de

TOURS

Hella Jongerius: Whispering Things (DE)
Every Sunday and on public holidays from 21 March 2026
3 pm, Vitra Design Museum
14.03.2026 – 06.09.2026

For more than thirty years, Hella Jongerius has been one of the leading figures in contemporary design. Her works range from textiles, ceramics, furniture, and lighting to sculptural pieces. Her research-driven approach has been a defining influence for an entire generation of designers. This exhibition is the first retrospective to present the full scope of her oeuvre, including her collaborations with Maharam, KLM, Camper, and Vitra. The archive of her design studio, Jongeriuslab, has been in the care of the Vitra Design Museum since 2024 and offers insights into her creative process, her philosophy, and her exploration of materials, colours, and craft.

Duration: ca. 60 minutes
€ 10 per person, reduced rate € 8 per person
Please book your ticket at design-museum.reservix.de

If you have any questions, please contact us at info@design-museum.de or T+49.7621.702.3200

For private Guided Tours, please contact info@design-museum.de to book.

Hella Jongerius: Whispering Things (EN)
Every Saturday and on public holidays from 21 March 2026
3 pm, Vitra Design Museum
14.03.2026 – 06.09.2026

For more than thirty years, Hella Jongerius has been one of the leading figures in contemporary design. Her works range from textiles, ceramics, furniture, and lighting to sculptural pieces. Her research-driven approach has been a defining influence for an entire generation of designers. This exhibition is the first retrospective to present the full scope of her oeuvre, including her collaborations with Maharam, KLM, Camper, and Vitra. The archive of her design studio, Jongeriuslab, has been in the care of the Vitra Design Museum since 2024 and offers insights into her creative process, her philosophy, and her exploration of materials, colours, and craft.

Duration: ca. 60 minutes
€ 10 per person, reduced rate € 8 per person
Please book your ticket at design-museum.reservix.de

If you have any questions, please contact us at info@design-museum.de or T+49.7621.702.3200

For private Guided Tours, please contact info@design-museum.de to book.

Image: Keyvisual Hella Jongerius: Whispering Things © Vitra Design Museum Graphic Design: Joost Grootens based on the work Falling Vases Paintings by Hella Jongerius