The exhibition design for the Gardiner Museum’s Obsession: Sir William Van Horne’s Japanese Ceramics showcases the expansive collection of one of Canada's most prolific collectors. Designed by Hariri Pontarini Architects, the exhibition runs from October 2018 to January 2019 and features over 350 pieces of Japanese pottery alongside Van Horne’s exacting watercolours, annotated notebooks, letters, and related archival material. HPA is engaged to tell the story of his collection and to develop a design that fosters a dynamic case study of the history of collecting in Canada. A series of glass-enclosed showcases creates a pathway that guides viewers, allowing them a more intimate engagement with the collection as they wander through the exhibit. The materials palette, lighting design, graphics, and display cases are all carefully curated to focus attention on the breadth of the collection and the obsessive manner in which Van Horne compiled and archived the Japanese ceramics.
