Goppion, a leader in the design, construction, assembly and installation of cutting-edge display cases and installations, has shared details of its project for Fenix, a new museum about migration that opens tomorrow in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
Migration is a fundamental part of human existence and has been shaping world history for millennia. Through art, architecture, and photography, Fenix explores migration past and present, using bold new approaches to examine this global narrative.
Showcasing migrant stories
The new museum is located in Rotterdam’s historic Fenix warehouse, which dates from 1923. It was once the biggest warehouse in the world. The structure was a hub for the Holland-America Line, which facilitated the migration of millions of Europeans to the US during the 19th and 20th centuries. In 1900, the surrounding area became the site of Europe’s first continental Chinatown, as Chinese stokers settled near the harbour.
The innovative new attraction marks the first commission in Europe for MAD Architects Beijing. Its focal point is a 30-meter-tall spiralling stainless-steel structure named The Tornado. Symbolising turbulent migrant journeys, The Tornado offers expansive panoramic views of Rotterdam and the River Maas.
Inside, galleries are arranged across two floors with exhibition design curated by Roland Buschmann. Over 200 acquisitions will be on show, with works by renowned contemporary artists including Francis Alÿs, Steve McQueen, Grayson Perry, Rineke Dijkstra, Kimsooja, Shilpa Gupta, Jeremy Deller, and Danh Võ.
Goppion developed 14 free-standing Q class showcases for the second floor galleries, in addition to 28 hybrid-solution plinths, each with a glass box on top, and eight B Class table display cases with lifting glass boxes. The company also supplied 17 partition walls with a supporting base, 25 podia, and 26 plinths. These are a key component and help define the exhibition space as part of the integrated, minimalist design.
116 clay heads by Rotterdam-based artist Efrat Zehavi are among the works on display in Goppion’s showcases. Each sculpture is a portrait of a Rotterdam resident, and together, these represent the diversity of the city and the shared humanity of its migrant stories.
The company also supplied a display case for Man in Wainscott by Willem de Kooning. The Dutch-American painter and sculptor is regarded as a leading figure of Abstract Expressionism and contributed to the development of Action Painting, which explores both abstract and figurative styles.
Other highlight exhibits at Fenix include The Suitcase Labyrinth, an immersive installation constructed from 2,000 suitcases, which have been donated by individuals worldwide.
Enhancing stability for the National Gallery
Goppion is also celebrating the reopening of the Sainsbury Wing and a major rehang at the National Gallery in London. The renovation project improved facilities and connectivity with the adjoining Wilkins Building, and provided opportunities for reconfigured and reimagined exhibition spaces.
The company provided 11 freestanding and table showcases, installed in 11 rooms across the Sainsbury Wing and Wilkins Building. Goppion developed a bespoke design solution to ensure additional stability for the paintings on display. Using research from Pavia University, Italy, it designed a showcase system to mitigate vibrations using a table inside the plinth, positioned underneath the display deck.
Each is built to the specific requirements of the artwork and the environmental considerations of the gallery. Additionally, the showcases were created to seamlessly integrate into the exhibition design for each space.
Earlier this year, Goppion shared details of its project to engineer, produce, and install 144 display cases for the second edition of the Islamic Arts Biennale. This included a 6-metre-long table display case with a seamless glass hood, built to house a loan from the Vatican Apostolic Library.
