Hadid’s interest in the concepts of fragmentation and with ideas of abstraction is evident throughout her repertoire and continues to this day. Originally engaging with the work of Kazimir Malevich to propel creative work to hitherto unheard of levels of invention, Hadid translated the warped and anti-gravitational space of Russian avant-garde painting and sculpture into her own unique architectural language. Space, or even better the world itself, soon became the site of pure, unprejudiced invention. Painting formed a critical part of Hadid’s early career as the design tool that allowed us the intense experimentation in both form and movement – leading to the development of a new language for architecture.
Using the advanced design and manufacturing technologies available today, the jewelled facets of the Prima installation are a direct translation of the dynamic two-dimensional lines and planes on the canvas, reflecting Hadid’s detailed experimentation to perfect the project. The installation continues this research, documenting Hadid’s remarkable journey to order and articulate complexity; from a 2D sketch evolving into a workable space, and then into a realized building.