Elmgreen & Dragset stage fake sale of Mies van der Rohe villa in Krefeld

Elmgreen & Dragset, the artist duo curating the next Istanbul Biennial, have transformed the Haus Lange villa in Krefeld, Germany, into a theatrical installation critiquing Brexit. Designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe in the late 1920s, the villa has served as an exhibition space for the Kunstmuseum Krefeld since 1955. Early this year, a 'for sale' sign appeared outside, accompanied by newspaper ads and real estate agents fielding offers and public outrage. The mystery was resolved with the opening of 'Die Zugezogenen (The Newcomers)', revealing the stunt as part of a project about a German family returning from Britain after the Brexit referendum. Rooms are furnished or filled with unpacked boxes; a Jaguar with British plates is parked outside, and the back door is left open for visitors. The work echoes their 2009 Venice Biennale piece 'The Collectors', where they staged the sale of the Danish and Nordic pavilions. The exhibition also reflects on modernist architecture's ideals in light of current geopolitics. Runs until August 27 at Haus Lange and Haus Esters museums.