Lacaton & Vassal's Frac Nord-Pas-de-Calais Opens with Landmark Exhibition

The Frac Nord-Pas-de-Calais in Dunkerque inaugurated its new buildings on November 16, 2013, with the exhibition 'Le Futur commence ici,' running until April 27, 2014. Designed by architects Lacaton et Vassal, the complex comprises the original industrial hall left vacant and a new structure tailored to the Frac's needs for exhibition, storage, reception, and administration. The two buildings are connected by an interior street, part of a future pedestrian bridge. The exhibition marks the institution's 30th anniversary and showcases the most representative works from its collection, supplemented by major loans at the Belvédère, including Didier Faustino's H BOX from Le Fresnoy and Franz West's Ordinary Landscape from the Herbert Foundation in Ghent. The lower floors feature early acquisitions of renowned artists such as Donald Judd, Dan Flavin, Andy Warhol, Lawrence Weiner, Gerhard Richter, André Cadere, Olivier Mosset, Rosemarie Trockel, John Armleder, and Fabrice Hyber, alongside younger artists like Gabriel Kuri, Walead Beshty, Santiago Sierra, Lang/Baumann, and Latifa Echakhch. A highlight is the contemporary design collection, humorously presented through variations of the chair.