Documentation

Constant in his studio, ca 1959. F.l.t.r. Compositie met 158 blokjes, Vertical City, Two Towers and Nébulose Mécanique hanging.

Constant in front of Eivormige constructie, 1958 and Nébulose mécanique, 1957. 

ca 1958 NB: We do not have a version fit for print of this image.

ca 1958 NB: We do not have a version fit for print of this image.

ca 1958 NB: We do not have a version fit for print of this image.  

ca 1958 NB: We do not have a version fit for print of this image.

Construction Yellow and White in front of the Dutch Pavilion at the Expo 58 in Brussels.

Constant his Daughter Eva with a sheep at Artis, Amsterdam. ca 1958NB: We do not have a version fit for print of this image.  

In Gyromorphosis, film maker Hy Hirsch strives to display the kinetic qualities of the New Babylon structures of Constant Nieuwenhuys. One by one he puts parts of the structures in motion and films the details with colored lighting having them overlap each other, appear and disappear. He creates a sensation of acceleration and suspence suggested by the work itself, 07 min, 1958. The film can be found on the website of the British Film Institute.

La déclaration d’Amsterdam (The Amsterdam Declaration) in Internationale Situationniste, nº 2, décembre 1958, p. 31-32. Republished in Internationale Situationniste 1958-1969, Amsterdam, van Gennep, 1970 and in Internationale Situationniste 1958-69, Paris, Éditions Champ Libre, 1975.  

Nébulose Mécanique at the Hortus Botanicus in Amsterdam, circa 1958

This is the most far-reaching of Constant’s writings about urban design as an art form.

Ambiance d'une ville future (1958), photographed by Jan Versnel in 1958. One of the first models of Constant which is transformed in the model "Construction in orange", 1958.

Detail of Gele sector (1958), photographed by Bram Wisman in 1958.

Detail of Gele Sector (1958), photographed by Bram Wisman. 

Detail of Gele sector (1958), photographed by Jan Versnel in 1958. 

Sector constructie (1958-1961), photographed by Bram Wisman in 1958. For some models—including this one—the year of production is a period, either because it is an estimation or because adjustments were made to the model later on.   

Sur nos moyens et nos perspectives (On Our Means and Perspectives) in Internationale Situationniste, nº 2, December 1958, p. 23-27. Republished in Internationale Situationniste 1958-1969, Amsterdam, van Gennep, 1970 and in Internationale Situationniste 1958-69, Paris, Éditions Champ Libre, 1975.

In this text Constant reflects on the current state of the arts.

Photo of Constant with his daughters Eva and Martha at Artis, Amsterdam ca 1957.                                                                         NB: We do not have a version fit for print of this image