Mid-twentieth-century modern design balanced expression with efficiency and utility. Geared towards everyday living, modern design redefined housewares, furniture, and decorative arts. The form of each object followed its function, with innovative construction methods finished in natural tones and bold colors. Working in the spirit of their time, mid-century designers created items that lent style and comfort to the necessities of modern life. By the early 1950s, the most distinctive American furniture and decorative arts expressed a refined modern design, celebrated by Arts & Architecture magazine and in museum exhibitions.
Mid-century designers announced the modern era through the clear and concise use of new materials such as plastic, aluminum, and molded plywood. The husband-and-wife team of Charles (1907–78) and Ray (1912–88) Eames implemented the brilliance of good design on the greatest scale, with more than two million of their fiberglass chairs sold through Herman Miller by 1966. On the other end of the spectrum, art and design converged in unique artisan and craft items to personalize modern interiors. Overall, mid-century designers introduced a multitude of new products for modern living, and their best designs stood effortlessly on their own or harmoniously within a group. This exhibit presents a sampling of modern design from the 1930s to the 1960s through examples of mid-century studio art, graphic design, and manufactured goods.
Special thanks to Steve Cabella, the Modern i Shop, and Eames Collector for making this exhibition possible.
A Modern Approach: Mid-Century Design is located pre-security in the International Terminal Main Hall Departures Lobby, San Francisco International Airport. This exhibition is accessible to all airport visitors from Aug.27, to April 9.
