Osram supports the special Ken Adam exhibition in Kinemathek

The retrospective reveals unpublished work by the most famous production designer of our times

From December 11, 2014 to May 17, 2015 the Film and Television Museum in Berlin is staging a special exhibition entitled "Bigger Than Life. Ken Adam's Film Design", an insight into the extensive work of the most influential and innovative production designer of the 20th century. Osram, the two-time Oscar winner and leading manufacturer of light sources for cinema projection, is the exclusive sponsor of this exhibition initiated by the Deutsche Kinemathek. Ken Adam created a style all of his own with his spectacular and pioneering sets. The phrase "Adam style" is now part of movie history, shaping the expectations of movie-goers and finding lasting resonance in the works of his colleagues and successors.

Sir Ken Adam is one of the most important set designers in the movie business. In a career spanning half a century he has been involved in more than 70 productions, and has received Oscars for two of those. Adam sprang to fame for his work for legendary director Stanley Kubrick and his pioneering sets for the seven James Bond movies from Dr. No to Moonraker. The title of the extensive retrospective "Bigger Than Live. Ken Adam's Film Design" reflects also the philosophy of his work.

A long tradition in the movie business

Production design determines the visual appearance of a movie, and lighting design is an important part of this. Osram has been instrumental for many decades in shaping the movie lighting. For example, Osram technology is used to illuminate half of all film sets throughout the world. "We are firmly anchored in the movie industry and have enjoyed a close partnership with Deutsche Kinemathek for many years. We are therefore delighted to be supporting the special Ken Adam exhibition and giving the public a broad insight into the life and work of this exceptional talent", said Hans-Joachim Schwabe, CEO Specialty Lighting at Osram.

Multimedia exhibition on the Anglo-German production designer

In 2012, Sir Ken Adam donated his entire artistic work to Deutsche Kinemathek, one of the most important film archives in Germany. The retrospective features numerous unpublished sketches, correspondence and photographs from the collection, covering his life and most important artistic influences. Various certificates chart his life from his birth in Berlin, his emigration to London in 1934 and his career as a production designer. Multimedia presentations are used to give visitors an idea of the process involved in producing a set design. Models created especially for the purpose turn the ideas of the artist into tangible objects. Among the exhibits are amphibious vehicles familiar from the Bond movies, prison cells and many other creations from Ken Adam's life's work.

In addition to the exhibition, Deutsche Kinemathek is planning to publish an online presentation in 2015 to honor Ken Adam's unique contribution and to make his work accessible for everyone.

Special exhibition "Bigger Than Live. Ken Adam's Film Design" at Deutsche Kinemathek – the Film and Television Museum (December 11, 2014 to May 17, 2015)
Filmhaus, Potsdamer Straße 2, 10785 Berlin