50 YEARS OF TWISTS AND TURNS. Ernő Rubik and the Rubik's Cube Anniversary

A collaboration of Collegium Hungaricum Vienna and the MAK

In 2024 we celebrate a double anniversary: Rubik’s Cube turns 50, and its inventor, Ernő Rubik, celebrates his 80th birthday.

But how come this little object has left its mark in such a wide range of cultural fields—way beyond the world of puzzles? Both at our fascinating Talk and in a pop-up exhibition in the MAK Columned Main Hall, you can explore the magic cube’s secrets.

In addition a Design Workshop invites young people to create a huge mosaic composed of Rubik’s Cubes together. In a speedcubing challenge, competitors have an opportunity of beating the incredible world record for solving the Cube of just 3.13 seconds, and in the Rubik’s Playground in the former MAK Direktion, visitors can take a playful plunge into the fascinating world of this magic cube.

Tue, 22.10.2024 4 pm — 9 pm

MAK – Museum of Applied Arts

A group of wooden toys in different shapes in a row.

Set of three paper puzzles with a yellow-green design

A man holds a Rubik Cube in his hand and looks at it intently.

Tue, 22.10.2024
Admission from 4 pm, only € 8

50 YEARS OF TWISTS AND TURNS: Ernő Rubik and the Rubik's Cube Anniversary
Talk
7–8 pm
(in English)
No registration required
First come, first served

Link to Livestream (YouTube)
Link to Aftermovie (YouTube)

Greeting: Marlies Wirth, Curator, Digital Culture and MAK Design Collection
Keynote Speech: Rita Mária Halasi
Talk: Márton Méhes, Director of the Collegium Hungaricum Vienna, in dialogue with curator Rita Mária Halasi and inventor and designer Ernő Rubik

The keynote speech and Talk that follows will explore the mystery of the Cube—how could an object born in the analogue world conquer our digital, increasingly virtual culture? How has this small object changed the world—not only the world of puzzles—and left its mark in so many cultural fields?

Rubik's Cube design workshop
22.10.2024, 2–4 pm
Please register here
In this workshop, young people get to know Rubik's Cube as a design icon and source of inspiration. They discover how artists work with the cube as a medium and explore French artist Invader’s fascinating world of Rubikcubism. Participants will create a mosaic of Rubik's Cubes together!

Speedcubing
22.10.2024, 4.30–6.30 pm
The current world speedcubing record for solving a classic 3×3×3 Rubik’s Cube is an incredible 3.13 seconds! Speedcubing professionals demonstrate their skill in solving the famous Rubik's Cube live in the MAK Columned Hall and compete against each other in different categories. Visitors are invited to take the cubes into their own hands and test their skill.

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Pop-Up Exhibition
Rubik’s Curiosity Cabinets
Tue, 22–Sun, 27 Oct 2024
MAK Columned Main Hall

This week-long pop-up exhibition presents objects and documents from Ernő Rubik's unique private collection and personal archive, 95% of which have never been seen anywhere in the world before.

The title of the exhibition refers to a historical form of presentation: the cabinets of curiosities of private individuals and collectors, known in German as Wunderkammer, Kunstkammer or Kunstkabinett, were the ancestors of museums. The public can see a wide range of curiosities on display, from Ernő Rubik’s sketchbook, to the prototypes of a wide variety of toys, to the first production models and archive photographs. The exhibition consists of nearly 90 items.

The title Rubik's Curiosity Cabinets is ultimately about Ernő Rubik's own universe, how he arranges the world around him as a creative person through designing 3D puzzles—i.e. how he thinks. We get a glimpse of the birth of the Cube and its triumphal march through the 1980s. We also learn about the other highly successful 3D puzzles designed by Ernő Rubik: Rubik's Snake and Twist, and Rubik's Magic, which have sold tens of millions of copies and are still in circulation today. We also get a glimpse into the inventor's workshop secrets through sketches, prototypes and games that were either sold in small numbers by the Rubik Studio or never made it to the product stage. The exhibition, curated by Rita Mária Halasi, gives a taste of an incredibly rich, prolific and exciting oeuvre.

Curated by Rita Mária Halasi

Rubik's Playground
Tue, 22–Sun, 3.10.2024
For a fortnight, a Rubik's Playground in the Education Room in the MAK Columned Hall (1st floor) offers visitors the opportunity to playfully immerse themselves in the world of the Rubik's Cube. A range of exciting games provided by Spin Master invite you to try out different variations and try out some brainteasers together!

Cooperation Partner

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