A major exhibition titled 'I Think There Should Be No End to Experimentation' has opened at LUMA Arles, marking the sixth chapter of the Hans Ulrich Obrist Archives. Curated by Hans Ulrich Obrist and Arthur Fouray, the show honors the late Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid on the tenth anniversary of her passing. It features rarely exhibited paintings, early calligraphic drawings, personal notebooks, and previously unseen video interviews from 2001 to 2013, alongside tribute posters by peers such as Sir Peter Cook, Stefano Boeri, Sumayya Vally, Iwan Baan, and Lina Ghotmeh. The exhibition is presented in the Tower building designed by Frank Gehry and unfolds across the Cherry Tree Gallery and Archives Gallery, with exhibition furniture conceived by Kazuyo Sejima.
This exhibition matters because it shifts focus from Hadid's later digital design tools to her foundational hand-drawn and painted works, revealing the experimental, physical origins of her architectural vision. By situating her practice within the context of Constructivist origins, unrealized projects, and her long collaboration with Obrist, the show offers a deeper understanding of her creative process. It also underscores the continued relevance of archival exhibitions in preserving and reinterpreting the legacies of influential cultural figures, while the involvement of multiple prominent architects and designers highlights Hadid's enduring impact on the field.