CONTEMPLATING THE VOID:
INTERVENTIONS IN THE GUGGENHEIMMUSEUM
An Anniversary Benefit Exhibition
Nearly 200 Artists, Architects, and Designers Imagine Dream Interventions in the
Guggenheim Museum as Finale to 50th Anniversary Year
Venue:
Dates:
Preview:

Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, 1071 Fifth Avenue, New York
February 12–April 28, 2010
Friday, February 12, 2010, 9–11 am

NEW YORK, NY (December 17, 2009)–Since its opening in 1959, the Frank Lloyd Wright–
designed Guggenheim building has served as an inspiration for invention, challenging artists
and architects to react to its eccentric, organic design. The central void of the rotunda has
elicited many unique responses over the years, which have been manifested in both sitespecific solo shows and memorable exhibition designs. For the building’s 50th anniversary,
the Guggenheim Museum invited more than two hundred artists, architects, and designers toimagine their dream interventions in the space for the exhibition Contemplating the Void:
Interventions in the Guggenheim Museum. Organized by Nancy Spector, Deputy Director andChief Curator, Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, and David van der Leer, Assistant
Curator for Architecture and Design, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, the exhibition willfeature renderings of these visionary projects in a salon-style installation that will emphasize
the rich and diverse range of the proposals received. Contemplating the Void: Interventions in
the Guggenheim Museum will be on view at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum fromFebruary 12 to April 28, 2010.
Aristotle famously pronounced that nature abhors a vacuum, an idea that still resonates in art
today. In designing the Guggenheim Museum, Wright flaunted the notion of the void, leaving
the center tantalizingly (or threateningly) empty. Over the years, when creating site-specificinstallations or exhibition designs for the building, artists and architects have imbued thespace with their presences, inspiring unforgettable works by Matthew Barney, Cai GuoQiang, Frank Gehry, Jenny Holzer, and Nam June Paik, among others. For the building’s
50th anniversary, the Guggenheim invited scores of artists, architects and designers to leavepracticality or even reality behind in conjuring their proposals for the space. In this exhibitionof ideal projects, certain themes emerge, including the return to nature in its primordial state,
the desire to climb the building, the interplay of light and space, the interest in diaphanouseffects as a counterpoint to the concrete structure, and the impact of sound on theenvironment. Conceived as both a commemoration and a self-reflexive folly, Contemplating
the Void confirms how truly catalytic the architecture of the Guggenheim can be.
Submissions were received from all over the world from a wide range of artists, designers,
and architects, including emerging as well as established practitioners. Among the many
works in the exhibition are projects by artists Alice Aycock, FAKE DESIGN (Ai Weiwei),
Anish Kapoor, Sarah Morris, Wangechi Mutu, Mike Nelson, Paul Pfeiffer, Doris Salcedo,
Lawrence Weiner, and Rachel Whiteread; designers such as Fernando and Humberto
Campana, Martí Guixé, Joris Laarman Studio, and Studio Job; and architects such asÁlvaro Siza Vieira Arquitecto, BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group), Greg Lynn FORM,
junya.ishigami+associates, MVRDV, N55, Philippe Rahm, Snøhetta, Studio Daniel
Libeskind, Toyo Ito & Associates, Architects, and West 8. In addition to the exhibition in theThannhauser and Annex Level 4 galleries, Contemplating the Void will be accompanied by acomprehensive exhibition Web site, which will document each submission and feature
introductory essays texts by Nancy Spector and David van der Leer.
BENEFIT EVENT
March 4, 2010
Contemplating the Void: Interventions in the Guggenheim Museum will also function as a50th anniversary fundraiser for the museum. Many of the works on view will be sold throughsilent auction conducted during a benefit event on March 4, 2010, with an online component
so that those who are unable to attend may participate. More than 95% of the artists featured
in Contemplating the Void have gifted their works to this endeavor, and proceeds from thesale will support the museum’s exhibition programming. For more information about thebenefit event and auction, contact Ben Whine, Associate Director of Individual Development,
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, at bwhine@guggenheim.org or visit
guggenheim.org/new-york/196-membership/3225-contemplating-the-void-auction-preview.
WORKS & PROCESS AT THE GUGGENHEIM
Hypermusic: Ascension
Thursday, March 11, 6:30 and 8:30 pm
In conjunction with the exhibition, Works & Process at the Guggenheim presents
Hypermusic: Ascension. Harvard physicist Lisa Randall, Spanish composer Hèctor Parra, andartist Matthew Ritchie collaborate on this new site-specific monodrama in the rotunda, which
inverts and reinvigorates the genre of opera with an experimental score suggesting the
expanding reality of a fifth dimension.
For more information about this program, contact Duke Dang, General Manager of Works &Process at the Guggenheim at ddang@worksandprocess.org or 212 758 0024.
$30; $25 Guggenheim Members; $10 Students (25 and under with valid student ID).
For tickets, call the Box Office at 212 423 3587, Monday–Friday, 1–5 pm, or visit
worksandprocess.org.
About the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation
Founded in 1937, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation is dedicated to promoting theunderstanding and appreciation of art, primarily of the modern and contemporary periods,
through exhibitions, education programs, research initiatives, and publications. Currently the
Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation owns and operates the Guggenheim Museum on Fifth
Avenue in New York and the Peggy Guggenheim Collection on the Grand Canal in Venice,and also provides programming and management for two other museums in Europe that bear
its name: the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao and the Deutsche Guggenheim in Berlin. The
Guggenheim Abu Dhabi Museum, a museum of modern and contemporary art designed byarchitect Frank Gehry, is scheduled to open in 2013.

Admission: Adults $18, students/seniors (65+) $15, members and children under 12 free.
Admission includes audio-guide tour.
Museum Hours: Sun–Wed 10 am–5:45 pm, Fri 10 am–5:45 pm, Sat 10 am–7:45 pm, closed
Thurs. On Saturdays, beginning at 5:45 pm, the museum hosts Pay What You Wish. For
general information call 212 423 3500 or visit guggenheim.org.
#1143 –February 10, 2010 (Updated from December 17, 2009)
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONTACT
Betsy Ennis, Director of Media and Public Relations
Claire Laporte, Publicist
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
212 423 3840
pressoffice@guggenheim.org
For publicity images go to www.guggenheim.org/new-york/press-room/press-images
User ID = photoservice Password = presspass

CONTEMPLATING THE VOID: INTERVENTIONS IN THE GUGGENHEIM MUSEUM
An Anniversary Benefit Exhibition
February 12–April 28, 2010
24H Architecture
Adel Abdessemed
Acconci Studio (Vito Acconci)
Adamo-Faiden
Doug Aitken
Ricci Albenda
Alexander Gorlin Architects
Allied Works Architecture
Jennifer Allora & Guillermo CalzadillaDavid Altmejd
Álvaro Siza Vieira Arquitecto
Amanda Levete Architects
Cory Arcangel
Archi-Tectonics (Winka Dubbeldam)
Associates for Architecture and Environment (A.A.E)
Asymptote Architecture (Hani Rashid)
Alice Aycock
Bade Stageberg Cox (BSC)
Alwar Balasubramaniam
Ball-Nogues Studio
Barkow Leibinger Architects
Bernard Tschumi Architects
BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group)
Stefano Boeri
Bolles+Wilson
Christian Boltanski
Carol Bove
Christoph Büchel
Luca Buvoli
Cao Fei
Claire FontainePeter Coffin
E.V. Day
Stephen Dean
Dominic Stevens Architect
Dror Benshetrit
Sam Durant
Michael Elmgreen & Ingar Dragset
FAKE DESIGN (Ai Weiwei)
FAR frohn&rojas
Fernando and Humberto Campana
Terunobu Fujimori
Ga.A Architects + moongyu Choi
Gans Studio (Deborah Gans and Joshua Stern)
Carlos Garaicoa
Kendell Geers
Giancarlo Mazzanti Arquitectos
Gigon/Guyer Architekten

Liam Gillick
Gluckman Mayner Architects
Andy Goldsworthy
Greg Lynn FORM
group8
Gu Wenda
Martí Guixé
Shilpa Gupta
Subodh Gupta
Fritz Haeg
Mark Handforth
Hariri & Hariri Architecture
Mona Hatoum
Herreros Arquitectos
Thomas Hirschhorn
Elliott Hundley
Pierre Huyghe
HWKN (Hollwichkushner)
Inside Outside (Petra Blaisse)
Jim Isermann
Itami Jun Architects Co., Ltd.
IwamotoScott Architecture
J. Mayer H. (Jürgen Mayer)
Koo Jeong-A
Joris Laarman Studio
Julien De Smedt Architects (JDS)
junya.ishigami+associates
Chris Kabel
Amar Kanwar
Anish Kapoor
Matt Keegan
Kengo Kuma & Associates
Jon Kessler
Karen Kilimnik
Kimsooja
LAR Fernando Romero
Leeser Architecture
L.E.FT Architecture
LOT-EK
Luzinterruptus
M/M
MAD Architects (Yansong Ma)
Takashi Yamaguchi & Associates
Mark Manders
The Map Office
Christian Marclay
Kris Martin
Mass Studies
Massimiliano Fuksas Architetto
Maurer United Architects (MUA)
Anthony McCall
Josiah McElhenyBarry McGee
Josephine Meckseper
Jonathan Meese
Mathieu Mercier
Annette Messager
Michael Maltzan Architecture
Aleksandra Mir
Mary Miss
Sarah Morris
Dave Muller
Bruce Munro
Wangechi Mutu
MVRDV
N55
nARCHITECTS
Neil M. Denari Architects (NMDA)
Mike Nelson
Carsten Nicolai
Ted Noten
OBRA Architects
Odile Decq Benoît Cornette Architects and Planners
Office dA
Office for Subversive Architecture (OSA)
Olson Kundig Architects
Damián Ortega
Oyler Wu Collaborative
Adrian Paci
Paulo David ArquitectoPeter Marino Architect
Paul Pfeiffer
Susan Philipsz
Paola Pivi
Powerhouse Company
Qiu Zhijie
Walid Raad
Philippe Rahm
Recetas Urbanas
Reiser + Umemoto RUR Architecture
Richard Meier & Partners Architects
Pipilotti Rist
Matthew Ritchie
Martha Rosler
Mika Rottenberg
Sterling Ruby
Doris Salcedo
Karin Sander
Saunders Architecture
Hans Schabus
SeARCH
SelgasCano
Sudarshan Shetty
Yinka Shonibare

Alyson Shotz
Snøhetta
Solid Objectives–Idenburg Liu (SO-IL)
Sou Fujimoto Architects
Stan Allen Architect
Aleksandra Stratimirovic
Studio Arne Quinze
Studio Daniel Libeskind
Studio Job
Hiroshi Sugimoto
Sarah SzeTAKUYAHOSOKAI
Tezuka Architects
THEVERYMANY
Todd Williams Billie Tsien Architects
Torafu Architects
Toshiko Mori Architect
Toyo Ito & Associates, Architects
Triptyque Architecture
Tronic Studio
UNStudio (Ben van Berkel)
URBANUS Architecture & Design
Patricia Urquiola
Leo Villareal
Madelon Vriesendorp
Nari Ward
Phoebe Washburn
Lawrence Weiner
Weiss/Manfredi
Andro Wekua
Wendy Evans Joseph ArchitectureWest 8Pae White
Rachel Whiteread
T. J. Wilcox
Lebbeus Woods
WORKacWW Architecture
Cerith Wyn Evans
Zaha Hadid Architects
Zhang Huan

PRESS IMAGES

Contemplating the Void: Interventions in the
Guggenheim Museum
An Anniversary Benefit Exhibition
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
February 12–April 28, 2010
Online Photo Service for Press Images
Images for current exhibitions may be downloaded free of charge through our Web site.
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GUGGENHEIM ANNOUNCES ONLINE AUCTION
TO BENEFIT EXHIBITION PROGRAMMING
AUCTION PREVIEW EVENT FOLLOWED BY
ANIMAL COLLECTIVE AND DANNY PEREZPERFORMANCE ON MARCH 4, 2010
Nearly 200 Works by Artists, Architects, and Designers from the Highly Successful Exhibition
Contemplating the Void: Interventions in the Guggenheim Museum to Be Auctioned Online(NEW YORK, NY–March 2, 2010) – As a finale to the Guggenheim’s 50th anniversary celebrations,the museum will auction works donated to benefit the museum’s exhibition programming, now on viewin the exhibition Contemplating the Void: Interventions in the Guggenheim Museum. The works in thiseclectic presentation include nearly 200 submissions from international artists, architects, and designers
who were asked to imagine their own visionary interventions in the Frank Lloyd Wright–designed
rotunda. The works will be previewed at an auction benefit event on March 4, 2010, which will befollowed by a performance by Animal Collective and Danny Perez. The auction items will be soldonline from March 4 through 18 at www.charitybuzz.com/guggenheim.
AUCTION PREVIEW BENEFIT
Followed by Animal Collective and Danny Perez Performance
Thursday, March 4, 2010
7–9 pm:Auction preview
9 pm–12 am: Animal Collective and Danny Perez
Tickets may be purchased on our Web site:
http://www.guggenheim.org/new-york/membership/member-programs/yccprograms/contemplating-the-void-auction-preview$150 for Current YCC Members$175 for an Individual ticket$200 for an Artist ticket, which admits one to the auction preview and enables aContemplating the Void artist to attend$600 for a one-year YCC membership and an Individual ticket
A portion of the ticket price will be tax deductible.
On March 4, 2010, from 7 to 9 pm, a ticketed auction preview event hosted by the museum’s
Young Collectors Council will offer invitees the opportunity to view and be the first to bid on
the nearly 200 works in the auction while enjoying cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. Following

the preview, Animal Collective and Danny Perez will present a site-specific and psychedelic
immersive experience with original music and visuals created for the occasion:
http://www.guggenheim.org/new-york/press-room/press-releases/2010/3257animalcollective-release.
ONLINE AUCTION BY CHARITYBUZZMarch 4–18, 2010www.charitybuzz.com/guggenheim
Nearly 200 works from Contemplating the Void: Interventions in the Guggenheim Museum
were donated to benefit the museum’s exhibition programming and will be auctioned onlineat www.charitybuzz.com/guggenheim. Bidding is open to the public from March 4 to theafternoon of March 18. Bidders can register with a valid credit card at charitybuzz.com.
Opening bids vary by work; bidding increments increase as the highest bid rises. Bidders will
be notified by e-mail if they are outbid as well as when the auction closes.
Special thanks to Christie’s and to Frederieke Taylor of Frederieke Taylor Gallery
Contemplating the Void: Interventions in the Guggenheim Museum: The Exhibition
Since its opening in 1959, the Frank Lloyd Wright–designed Guggenheim building has served as aninspiration for invention, challenging artists, architects, and designers to react to its eccentric, organicform. The central void of the rotunda has elicited many unique responses over the years, which havebeen manifested in both site-specific solo shows and memorable exhibition designs. For the building’s
50th anniversary, the Guggenheim Museum invited more than two hundred artists, architects, anddesigners to imagine their dream interventions in the space for the exhibition Contemplating the Void:
Interventions in the Guggenheim Museum. Organized by Nancy Spector, Deputy Director and Chief
Curator, and David van der Leer, Assistant Curator for Architecture and Design, the exhibition, onview at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum from February 12 to April 28, 2010, features renderingsof these visionary projects in a salon-style installation that emphasizes the rich and diverse range of the
proposals received. The exhibition also functions as a 50th anniversary fundraiser for the museum andmore than 95% of the works featured in Contemplating the Void have been gifted to this endeavor.
Among the many works in the exhibition are projects by artists Alice Aycock, FAKE DESIGN (Ai
Weiwei), Anish Kapoor, Sarah Morris, Mike Nelson, Paul Pfeiffer, Doris Salcedo, Lawrence Weiner,
and Rachel Whiteread; designers such as Fernando and Humberto Campana, Martí Guixé, and Joris
Laarman Studio; and architects such as Álvaro Siza Vieira Arquitecto, BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group),
Greg Lynn FORM, junya.ishigami+associates, MVRDV, N55, Philippe Rahm, Snøhetta,Toyo Ito &Associates, Architects, and West 8.
About the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation
Founded in 1937, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation is dedicated to promoting theunderstanding and appreciation of art, primarily of the modern and contemporary periods,
through exhibitions, education programs, research initiatives, and publications. Currently the
Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation owns and operates the Guggenheim Museum on Fifth
Avenue in New York and the Peggy Guggenheim Collection on the Grand Canal in Venice,and also provides programming and management for two other museums in Europe that bear
its name: the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao and the Deutsche Guggenheim in Berlin. The
Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, a museum of modern and contemporary art designed by architectFrank Gehry, is scheduled to open in 2013.
About charitybuzz
Charitybuzz (www.charitybuzz.com) aligns nonprofits with international brands and celebrity
icons to raise funds through innovative online auctions. Featuring pop culture experiences,
VIP events, luxury destinations, fine art, jewelry, fashion, and sports memorabilia,
charitybuzz brings its online community of socially conscious bidders opportunities to make

a difference. The company generates millions of dollars for charities around the globe. To
learn more, please visit www.charitybuzz.com.
#1155
March 2, 2010
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Claire Laporte
Publicist
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
212 423 3840
pressoffice@guggenheim.org
Glenda Luft
Director of Communications
Charitybuzz
212 625 0100 x231
gluft@charitybuzz.com