TRAVELING EXHIBITION SERVICE

Modern DesignMidcentury to Today

Known for its sleek lines and functional simplicity, midcentury modern’s mainstream appeal has propelled it from a fleeting trend to the preferred design aesthetic of today’s millennials and Gen Zs. While the enduring interest in this ubiquitous style—popularized by period dramas like TV’s Mad Men—has transitioned from exclusive high-end boutiques to mass accessibility through big box retailers, how do we reconcile our complex relationship with contemporary design? Drawn from the renowned Stewart Program for Modern Design, Midcentury to Today charts the captivating story of modern design—from the growing affluence and consumerism of the post- World War II years (and wholesale pursuit of “the good life”) to today’s diverse, technology-driven world defined by globalization—reflecting and clarifying the ever-evolving needs, trends, and values of society and culture itself.Through the essential design movements of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, Midcentury to Today focuses on the groundbreaking work of such visionaries as Eva Zeisel, Charles and Ray Eames, Dieter Rams, Philippe Starck, Isamu Noguchi, Zaha Hadid, and Olafur Eliasson. With over 120 designs from Italy, Japan, France, Germany, the United States, and Canada, the exhibition spotlights an extraordinary selection of designers, whose pioneering work in a range of media—furniture, ceramics, metalwork, graphics, textiles—has helped to define the look and zeitgeist of our modern world. Midcentury to Today takes audiences on a visual journey through seven decades of innovative design, highlighting its profound ability to solve problems (whether practical, ideological, or aesthetic) while transcending multiple cultural boundaries.

International Arts & Artists 9 Hillyer Court, NWWashington, DC 20008202.338.0680 ArtsandArtists.orgTravelingExhibitions@ArtsandArtists.org

EXHIBITION SPECIFICATIONS

Number of WorksApproximately 100 objects

Organized byThe Stewart Program for Modern Design, Montreal, Canada, and toured by International Arts & Artists

CuratorDavid A. Hanks

RequirementsHigh security; approximately 3,000 square feet

Booking Period12 weeks

TourJanuary 2023–January 2026

ContactTravelingExhibitions@ArtsandArtists.org

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FRONT Greta Von Nessen (1900–1978) Anywhere Lamp, Designed 1951. Aluminum, enameled steel. 15.13 x 14.38 x 14.38 inches. Produced by Nessen Studio, Inc., New York, NY 1 Janne Kyttänen (born 1974), Jiri Evenhuis (born 1973) Punch-Bag Handbag, Designed 2005. Laser-sintered polyamide. 10.88 x 11.75 x 0.75 inches. Produced by FOC (Freedom of Creation), the Netherlands 2 Olafur Eliasson (born 1967), Frederik Ottesen (born 1967) Little Sun Solar Lamp, Designed 2012. Plastic, ABS, solar panel, LED, nylon. 1.25 x 4.75 x 4.75 inches. Produced by Little Sun, Berlin, Germany 3 Michael Graves (1934–2015) Desk Phone and Answering Machine, Model No. MG1000BL, Designed c. 1999, Plastic, rubber. Phone: 6.25 x 7.88 x 6.75 inches. Made in China for Target, Minneapolis, MN 4 Peter Schlumbohm (1896–1962) Chemex Coffeemaker, Designed c. 1939. Glass, wood, leather. 9.5 x 5.88 x 5.88 inches. Pro-duced by Chemex Corp., New York, NY 5 Ross Lovegrove (born 1958) Go Chair, Designed c. 1999. Aluminum alloy, polycarbonate plastic. 30.5 x 23 x 27 inches. Produced by Bernhardt Design, Lenoir, North Carolina 6 Charles Eames (1912–1988), Ray Eames (1907–1978) LCW Lounge Chair, Designed 1945–46. Stained ash-faced plywood, rubber. 26.38 x 22 x 21.88 inches. Produced by Herman Miller Furniture Company, Zeeland, Michigan 7 Paula Scher (born 1948) Recycle: A Graphic Message for Ecology Poster, Designed 1998. Offset lithography. 24.25 x 17 inches. All images courtesy of the The Stewart Program for Modern Design.

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