Zaha Hadid's Early Paintings and Drawings at Serpentine Gallery

The Serpentine Sackler Gallery in London opens 'Zaha Hadid. Early paintings and drawings' on December 8, 2016, showcasing the architect's early career from 1972 to 1993. Curated by Hans Ulrich Obrist, the exhibition features large abstract architectural paintings inspired by Malevich, Tatlin, and Rodchenko, alongside personal notebooks containing sketches including the MAXXI in Rome. The show runs until February 12, 2017, in the gallery space renovated by Hadid in 2013. It highlights drawing and painting as core tools in her work, spanning from her studies at the Architectural Association to her first realized project, the Vitra Fire Station. The exhibition is a tribute by the Serpentine to Hadid, who designed its first summer pavilion. Obrist recalls asking Hadid to contribute to his Instagram project 'The Art of Handwriting,' where she wrote: 'I think there should be no end to experimentation.' This mantra now guides the Serpentine. The show coincides with controversy over Patrik Schumacher's proposal to abolish social housing and privatize public space.