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Rear Kitchen Back to top
Photo by Gareth Gardner
The House of Osama bin Laden 2003
Interactive computer animation/data projection
The artists
This work is a digital model that reconstructs Osama bin Laden’s former house at Daruntah, Afghanistan. Langlands & Bell were commissioned to go to Afghanistan in 2002 in the aftermath of 9/11 to document the war. The House of Osama bin Laden was rendered using hundreds of photos and measurements the artists took when they visited the house which was occupied by the Hizb-i-Islami militia at the time, and uses the Quake games engine to explore it – visitors to the Museum may use the joystick to navigate their way through the digital model. This work is the central part of the eponymous trilogy of art works about the conflict shortlisted for the Turner Prize in 2004.
Monk’s Parlour Back to top
Photo by Gareth Gardner
The Burnt Madonna 1985
Charred oak
125 x 40 x 35 cm
The artists
This work is a found object salvaged from an arson attack at a Roman Catholic church in Suffolk, St Pancras, Ipswich, on Christmas Day in 1985.
Annual Review Back to top
Each year we publish a full-colour, beautifully illustrated Annual Review, with cultural voices exploring the Soane and its programmes.
2018-19 A Contemporary Conversation
Crypt Back to top
Photo by Gareth Gardner
Burnt Interlocking Chairs 1997
Charred beech, glass
92 x 92 x 64 cm
The artists
This work consists of two discrete chairs, merged to form a single object, burnt like The Burnt Madonna.
Library-Dining Room Back to top
Photos by Gareth Gardner
Grand Tour 2020
Wood, lacquer, glass
Installation: 92 x 800 x 45 cm; chairs: 92 x 45 x 45 cm (each)
The artists
Along with the new version of Traces of Living in the kitchens and Globe Table in the Breakfast Room, this is one of three works that was made specially for the show. Sir John Soane undertook the Grand Tour as part of his architectural education, and this work represents a Grand Tour that Soane might take were he alive today. In addition to showing works of architecture that Soane actually visited, such as the Temple of Vesta at Tivoli and La Scala opera house in Milan, it also shows projects such as the Generali Tower in Milan, by Zaha Hadid.
Buildings depicted:
- Villa Farnese, Caprarola. Giacomo Barozzi. 1530
- Bourse de Commerce : Collection Pinault (Conversion). Tadao Ando. 2020
- Kunsthaus Zurich (Extension). David Chipperfield. 2018
- Teatro alla Scala, Milan. Marliani, Nosetti, Fe. 1778
- Kunstmuseum Basel (Extension). Christ Gantenbein. 2016
- The Temple of Vesta. Lucius Gellius. 100 BC.
- Generali Tower, Milan. ZHA. 2018
Annual Reports Back to top
Our Annual Reports and accounts give details of the Museum’s activities and how our resources are spent.
Downloads
No. 13 Breakfast Room Back to top
Click the images for further information
Globe Table
Photo by Gareth Gardner
Globe Table 2020
Wood, lacquer, resin
120 (h) x 110 (dia) cm
The artists
This work takes the form of a historic globe in a table, whose dimensions have derived from Soane’s breakfast table. Soane depicted similar tables in the drawings that his office produced. However, instead of showing the countries of the world, the globe that Langlands & Bell have created depicts the air routes of the world. Visitors to the Museum can move the globe in all directions to reveal different views.
Virtual World, Medal of Dishonour
Photo by Gareth Gardner
Virtual World 2009
Struck and enamelled silver
7.5 (dia) cm
The artists
“Virtual World", the medal installed in the Museum’s pistol case was commissioned by the British Museum for the exhibition Medals of Dishonour in 2009. The face (obverse) has three concentric rings which contain categories of codes: airports (black), NGOs involved in disaster relief (blue) , and banned organisations and security agencies (red). The rear (reverse) shows top level domains (internet country codes).
www.
Photo by Gareth Gardner
www. 2000
Laser-etched optical glass
10 x 10 x 10 cm
The artists
Like the Globe Table, this work illustrates a network of communication described by by the world's principal air routes.
Foyle Space Back to top
Click the images for further information
Millbank Penitentiary
Photo by Gareth Gardner
Millbank Penitentiary 1994
Wood, glass, aluminium, paint, lacquer
112 x 112 x 16 cm
Ipswich City Museum & Art Gallery, Ipswich
Millbank Penitentiary was a prison located in Millbank, Westminster, on the site now occupied by Tate Britain. It operated from 1816–1890 and was constructed on the site where Bentham’s proposed panopticon was originally going to be built. Although the panopticon plan was abandoned, the prison that was built demonstrates a centralised plan. However, instead of a guard at the centre, there was a chapel. In this way, the eye of God took the place of the eye of the guard, intending to instill religion into the prisoners and compel them to regulate their behaviour.
Museums in Motion
Photo by Gareth Gardner
Museums in Motion 1989
Wood, paint, glass, lacquer
77 x 322 x 13 cm (overall)
DJ Lockhart, London
This work is a triptych that depicts three different buildings using the elemental shapes of square, circle, and triangle. The circle forms the centre of the triptych, and inside this work is the plan of the panopticon. This is a type of prison building, and an accompanying system of control, which was designed by the English philosopher Jeremy Bentham in the 18th century. The idea behind the panopticon is that a single security guard positioned at the centre of the plan can observe all prisoners without the inmates being able to tell whether they are being watched. This compels prisoners to regulate their own behaviour. The other buildings in the triptych are Palladio’s Villa la Rotonda in Vicenza (square) and the Museum of Modern Art in Frankfurt by Hans Hollein (triangle).
Infinite Loop
Photo: Peter White
Infinite Loop 2014
Wood, aluminium, acrylic sheet, paint, lacquer
80 x 240 x 9 cm (overall)
The artists
This triptych depicts three buildings, each on a silver ground. The buildings shown are GCHQ (the Government Communications Headquarters) in Cheltenham (left); Osama bin Laden’s final house at Abbottabad, Pakistan, where he was discovered and killed; and Apple’s headquarters in Cupertino, California. In this work the artists were very interested in the way in which Osama bin Laden was traced through his communications.
Instructions Back to top
Click on the images to read the step-by-step instructions.
What you'll need
- 1 cardboard box
- Scissors
- Glue stick & double-sided tape
- Pencil
- Mix of felt-tips & colouring pens
- Post-it notes
- 2-3 rubber bands
Step 1
Cut out three cardboard squares from your box (you'll need the other side for the wall of your Museum later.
These three squares are going to make stamps so you can make the windows and decoration of your post-it Museum!
Draw shapes on your cardboard - a frame, an arch and a sill with lines to divide a window into 3 sections of windowpanes.
Step 2
Onto your three drawings of window parts, cut some double-sided tape and put it onto the drawing. Peel off the sticky back!
Step 3
Cut the elastic bands.
Step 4
Stick the cut rubber bands onto the double-sided tape, following your drawing of the window parts.
Step 5
Use some waterbased felt-tips or brush pens to draw colour onto the rubber lines. If you have stamp pads you can use those too.
The rubber lines should be wet with ink - but don't worry, it's all part of the plan!
Step 6
After you've coloured the rubber window, now you can flip it and stamp onto a post-it note - printing the colour onto the post-it.
Now cut out the stamped window parts.
Step 7
Use glue or tape to stick down your stamped post it notes onto a big piece of cardboard, to make the windows of your post-it Museum!
Step 8
Use your favourite felt-tips and pens to draw onto the boxes any features & details you like! Sir John Soane was a big fan of ornament and decoration, so go crazy!
Finished! Back to top
Now sit back and enjoy your new post-it note home inspired by Sir John Soane's Museum! Email your creations to education@soane.org.uk and we'll post our favourites on Twitter!