Nothing Is certain, said The Curtain

Ali Noble

20 June - 16 August 2026 | Gallery 2

Nothing is certain, said The Curtain reimagines the legacy of modernist designer Lilly Reich, co-creator of Vila Tugendhat in Brno, Czech Republic with Mies van der Rohe in 1929. Against the backdrop of modernist architecture‘s implied certainty and stability, Lilly Reich’s curtains disrupted fixed boundaries, suggesting adaptability and ephemerality. Her work challenged modern architecture’s ideology of rigid rationality and ‘masculinity’.

By reconfiguring Reich’s curtains and furniture, artist Ali Noble reflects on Reich’s legacy of playful and innovative design, a tribute to her overlooked contribution. For the artist, curtains have long served as theatrical props to explore motherhood, transformation, and resistance to convention. Here, they remain dynamic, shifting positions and locations, embodying fluidity and inclusion. Inspired by personal experience and historical dialogue, the work invites viewers to consider access, visibility, and the enduring relevance of Reich’s radical approach to design.

Ali Noble, Nothing Is certain, said The Curtain, 2023, installation view, Sydney College of the Arts. Photo Document.