Turning Heads

Agency: Tinker imagineers
Client: Royal Museum Of Fine Arts Antwerp (KMSKA)

Tinker imagineers was asked to add an experiential layer to the temporary exhibition "Turning Heads" (Oct. 2023 – Jan. 2024). Tinker enthusiastically accepted the assignment and created experiential spaces before and after each art space where visitors actively engaged. The focus was on learning to look, explore, and sketch oneself. In an approachable manner, for an audience ranging from young to old from all walks of life. It was the first major temporary exhibition after the extensive renovation of KMSKA, so expectations were high and the stakes were significant. How do you get visitors laughing, playing, and interacting with each other in such a serious art museum?

The exhibition highlighted the fascination of old masters in the 16th and 17th centuries with the human face. Visitors were to discover how artists of that time extensively experimented with expressions, lighting, and accessories. Through five themes, it became clear how the fascination for the human head developed into a distinct genre: tronies or head studies. Tinker developed a fresh and playful design with hands-on installations where visitors actively participate. People playfully examined their own heads and peeked at others'. Just like the artists used to do. This not only fostered interaction within the group but also between different people who had not seen each other before. In the final installation, visitors created a tronie themselves with the help of AI. Material use has been kept as sustainable as possible. With recycled materials, due to the temporary nature of the exhibition. It was the first major temporary exhibition in the renovated Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp. Based on the glowing media reviews and visitor ratings, it seems clear that we succeeded in creating something enjoyable for everyone.