Stairway to…?

Both ladders and staircases are designed with a clear functional purpose: bridging physical heights. Their simple lines and geometric forms contribute to an aesthetic appeal. They help us not only literally move up and down, but also figuratively –through growth, change, and ambition. Sometimes we climb steadily, sometimes we stumble, and sometimes we feel the urge to find a way out.

Ladders, however, are more than tools or metaphors for success; they tell a story of transformation, of the human journey between the earthly and the higher realms. They appear in myths and narratives, such as Jacob’s Ladder, which reflects the connection between the human and the divine. The social ladder likewise illustrates how people strive for progress, sometimes facing obstacles, sometimes encountering opportunities. Escalation and de-escalation ladders show how small steps in the right or wrong direction can be decisive in relationships and conflicts. The exhibition Stairway to..? explores the many faces of the ladder and the staircase through the eyes of visual artists and designers.

Cover image: Frank Halmans, Draadtrapje, 2015, private collection