Nadir and Zenith in the World of Escher

The art of graphic artist M.C. Escher is a source of inspiration to countless creative spirits—from architects to rock stars, from mathematicians to graphic designers and from schoolchildren to artists. Picture book creator Wouter van Reek draws inspiration from Escher too. His latest book, Nadir en Zenith in de wereld van Escher (Nadir and Zenith in the World of Escher), takes readers on an adventure with its protagonists Nadir and Zenith. They end up in the wondrous world of Escher, replete with endless staircases and impossible buildings. That world was brought even more vividly to life in our 2019 summer exhibition. We showed illustrations from the book, preliminary studies, the story of the creator and, of course, the works of Escher. It was an experience for visitors of all ages.

Exhibition for young and old

Protagonists Nadir and Zenith accidentally clamber and climb into Escher’s world and go hunting for the unknown. Nothing is normal in the world of Escher—above turns into below, high suddenly becomes low. Nadir is a bit cautious sometimes, but Zenith takes on the challenge from a more uninhibited perspective. Together they brave the impossibilities of Escher's work.

Escher in The Palace brought Wouter van Reek’s picture book to life in this cheerful exhibition for visitors of all ages. This exhibition took families, picture book fans, and Escher fans alike on a wonderful voyage of discovery in which there were all sorts of things to see, do, and read. Visitors came face to face with the most significant sources of inspiration for the book: the prints of M.C. Escher. The story by creator Wouter van Reek took visitors on a journey too. Together with a specially designed educational quest, children could work their way through the exhibition with Nadir and Zenith, exploring the world of Escher as they go.

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