A new exhibition at Sir John Soane’s Museum in London shines a spotlight on the work of celebrated Dutch artist Madelon Vriesendorp, whose playful and surreal illustrations have become closely associated with some of the most influential ideas in modern architecture.

Titled Mind Games, the exhibition traces Vriesendorp’s creative career, featuring her iconic 1975 artwork Flagrant Délit, which depicts New York’s Empire State Building and Chrysler Building as anthropomorphic characters in a humorous, dreamlike scene. The illustration later became the cover of Delirious New York, the influential 1978 book by architect Rem Koolhaas, offering a unique visual interpretation of Manhattan’s architectural identity.

Vriesendorp co-founded the Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA) alongside Rem Koolhaas, Elia Zenghelis and Zoe Zenghelis in 1975. Her imaginative drawings helped communicate the firm's ambitious architectural concepts, blending humour, fantasy and urban design into memorable visual narratives.

The exhibition showcases a range of illustrations and prints inspired by New York City, reflecting the belief that the city's organic and unconventional growth produced an architecture filled with personality and imagination, standing in contrast to the rigid ideals of traditional modernism.

Alongside her early architectural works, the exhibition also highlights Vriesendorp’s more recent creations that address environmental themes. Sculptures made from recycled household materials, including cardboard, egg cartons and plastic containers, demonstrate her continued interest in creativity while encouraging conversations around sustainability and climate awareness.

Visitors can also experience interactive installations that explore psychology, symbolism and imagination, reinforcing the exhibition’s playful approach to architecture and artistic expression.

Although some of the exhibition’s architectural references may resonate most strongly with design enthusiasts, Mind Games offers an engaging look at the intersection of architecture, art and storytelling. Displayed within the historic surroundings of Sir John Soane’s Museum, the exhibition presents Vriesendorp’s work as a celebration of creativity, humour and the enduring relationship between buildings and human imagination.