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Black Box. A Cabinet of Robotic Curiosities

by Felix

BINGQIAN
enokim
Lee jiham
Wallfris
Xian C

The Vitra Campus has a new exhibition space: in one of the houses at the southern entrance, a Black Box has been installed which holds the collection of international toy robots belonging to Vitra Chairman Emeritus Rolf Fehlbaum. The presentation encompasses robots and figures of astronauts from the years 1937 to 1968. Many of them bear witness to the technological optimism of an age, when robotics and space travel were still largely fiction. Some of the selected objects are shown with the original packaging, which is often no less spectacular than the artefacts themselves. A number of the robots are seen in motion on video screens, while others are exhibited on turntable displays. The staging of the objects draws the viewer into a dark, minimalist dream world. The exhibition was conceived in collaboration with Fifo Stricker, Rolf Fehlbaum’s friend and fellow collector. Dieter Thiel designed the architecture of the Black Box, and the scenography was developed together with French designer Ronan Bouroullec. The ticket costs € 7, and visitors can view the collection as part of a public guided tour.

Non Stop Lavender Robot, Masudaya, Japan, 1960, 38 cm, collection Rolf Fehlbaum, Photo: Moritz Herzog

Target Robot, Masudaya, Japan, 1965, 38 cm, collection Rolf Fehlbaum, Photo: Moritz Herzog

Mr. Atomic, Yonezawa, Japan, 1962, 23 cm, collection Rolf Fehlbaum, Photo: Moritz Herzog

Susie Robette, The Metalware Corp., USA, 1957, 28 cm, collection Rolf Fehlbaum, Photo: Moritz Herzog

Smoking Robot, Yonezawa, Japan, 1963, 30 cm, collection Rolf Fehlbaum, Photo: Moritz Herzog

Space Elephant, Yoshiya, Japan, 1960, 21 cm, collection Rolf Fehlbaum, Photo: Moritz Herzog

Space Elephant, Yoshiya, Japan, 1960, 21 cm, collection Rolf Fehlbaum, Photo: Moritz Herzog

Space Kiddy, M, Japan, c. 1960, 18 cm, collection Rolf Fehlbaum, Photo: Moritz Herzog

Dux Astroman, Dux, West Germany, 1959, 33 cm, collection Rolf Fehlbaum, Photo: Moritz Herzog

Nando, Opset, Italy, ca. 1950, 13 cm, collection Rolf Fehlbaum, Photo: Moritz Herzog

Robot Liliput, KT, Japan, 1937, 15 cm, collection Rolf Fehlbaum, Photo: Moritz Herzog

Telephone Robot, Yonezawa, Japan, c. 1963, 24 cm, collection Rolf Fehlbaum, Photo: Moritz Herzog

Magic Space Dog, Yoshiya, Japan, 1958, 15 cm, collection Rolf Fehlbaum, Photo: Moritz Herzog

Giant Non Stop Machine Man, Masudaya, Japan, c. 1962, 38 cm, collection Rolf Fehlbaum, Photo: Moritz Herzog

Magic Space Dog, Yoshiya, Japan, 1958, 15 cm, collection Rolf Fehlbaum, Photo: Moritz Herzog

Space Robot, Nomura, Japan, 1970, 30 cm, collection Rolf Fehlbaum, Photo: Moritz Herzog

Mechanical Walking Robot, oneya, Japan, ca. 1965, 10 cm, collection Rolf Fehlbaum, Photo: Moritz Herzog

Space Robot, Nomura, Japan, 1970, 30 cm, collection Rolf Fehlbaum, Photo: Moritz Herzog