Allard Pierson – Van Glas

For this exhibition at the Allard Pierson Museum, over 200 ancient glass objects from the museum’s archaeological collection came together in a space shaped by material, colour and light. From translucent to opaque, vibrant to muted, delicately decorated to boldly shaped – each object reveals the remarkable skill of glassmakers from centuries ago.

The overall curatorial selection was made by René van Beek, curator at the Allard Pierson Museum. INAMATT translated this vision into spatial form — designing the layout, shaping the rhythm of the vitrines, and carefully curating each display by size, glass type, form and hue. Through this layered approach, each showcase became its own quiet composition, a tactile story told through material and proportion.

Attention to detail guided every part of the design. To bring visitors closer to the subtle beauty of the objects, we introduced large, transparent photographs of glass fragments throughout the space. These magnified images suspended in the room offer an abstracted, almost intimate perspective — drawing the eye to textures that often go unnoticed.

This sense of closeness was further deepened through a simple but effective gesture: magnifying glasses placed throughout the exhibition invited visitors to slow down, observe, and interact. What might have been a distant historical object became something to study, almost to touch — bridging time through careful attention.

Interwoven among the ancient pieces, contemporary works by modern glass artists created a quiet dialogue between past and present. A conversation of light, technique, and imagination - reframing ancient craftsmanship through a modern lens.

The result is a calm, tactile space — a modern frame for timeless material. A layered journey through fragility, precision and light.