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Museum of Mo ern An No. 99 ~I, New York, N.Y. 10019 Tel. 245·3200 Cable: Modernart FOR RELEASE: Tuesday, September 26, 1967
", PRESSPREVIEH: Monday,~September 25, 1967 11 a.m, - 4 p.m.
, ,.oish chair made from poured urethane foam, a French chaise covered with a nylon
~~tch fabric, jewelry of plastic and brass, new lighting fixtures from here and
'troad, a hand microphone, a hair dryer, a telephone and wall and desk clocks are
'~og the seventy objects on view in the exhibition Recent Acquisit.ions: Design
':;'lIection at The Museum of Modern Art from September 26 through January 1. The
'nOibition was organized by Arthur Drexler, Director of the Museum's Department of
MoMAExh_0840_MasterChecklist ,l:chitecture and Design. The majority of these objects, acquired during the past
!';ur years, >lere des igned in the 60's. The fe,~ older pLe ces include a Tiffany
rue, an Art Nouveau couch by Hector Guimard and printed silk designed by Matisse.
Apart from their functional qualifications, Arthur Drexler says, the objects
~ the Design Collection are chosen according to two criteria: quality and his tori-
:,1 significance. "An object is chosen for its de.sign quality because it is thought
:, embody formal ideals of beauty •.•• Significance is a more flexible evaluation.
:t applies to objects .,hich mayor may not be beautiful but oh Lch have contributed
~ the development of design .•.. The visitor to this exhibition ui11 be able to
fIClde for himself whethe'r objects are interesting for quality or historical signi-
(leance, or for both ...
"Gunnar Aagaard Andersen's chair, made of poured urethane foam, can be regarded
" a Soft sculpture in oh i ch , incidentally, one can sit. Part of its significance
:. technical: the underlying idea is that certain plastics promote a free and highly
!~ividual approach to the fabrication of furniture .... There is no reason for its
'Jpe to imitate forms achieved by more conventional means, and Andersen's design
:-'ctradicts ideas of 'good taste' as well as good craftsmanship: The esthetic
'l>Jnterparts of his chai r are to be found in much recent painting and sculpture,
t'ther than design, and it remains to be seen if further developments in the use of
)1 ' .anics will fo l Lou his lead." (more)
. ' -2- A strong contrast to Andersen's chair is Olivier Mourgue's chaise. "At first
,~t its simplicity relates it to earlier modern furniture, but there is an
~t.nt difference: Mourgue has chosen to conceal structure and technique rather
I.~ reveal and elaborate it, The beauty of his design does not depend on our
IlI"'lngho:;it ';as made."
setween these two extremes there are several alternative approaches to design:
t "a-Ity often co-exists with variety, and in appliances and other useful objects as I 1.1108 in furniture, forms are often elaborated beyond the requirements of function, i :s,rodition, there is a great variety in the design of lighting fixtures. "Indeed, MoMAExh_0840_MasterChecklist I:Ilt r.hoiceoffered the public today is finally beginning to meet the demand," 11', i:lrex1erconcludes.
The importance of industrial design in the program of the Museum has been
"c~gnized since its founding in 1929. The 'Design Collection had its origins in
:~ famous Machine Art exhibition of 1934 and now consists of more than 5,000
~J~tt., Since 1964 more than 230 objects, including architectural models and
r''''lngs,posters and furniture selected from the collection have been continuously
'~,iaw in the Philip L. Goodldn Galleries for Architecture and Design which opened
l....~year,
This collection, unique in the world, is augmented regularly by recent work
r4 by objects needed to fill historical gaps. When the Museum's International
I:~dy Center opens later this year, virtually all the objects not on public exhibi-
::~ ~i11 be available for viewing and study by scholars, designers, students and the
:tttrestedpublic.
The Museum's extensive collection of graphic design, excluded from the current
"',;u1aitionshow, will be presented in a major exh IbLt Lon opening January 23, 1968.
"~r·"'hl tectura1 Fantasies: Drawings from the Museum Collection, which opened July 27, • .~, b I ; een extended and will remain on view through mid-October. '.*************************************** .~"'tographs and additional information available from Elizabeth Shau , Director, and ,'trlciaB. Kaplan, Associate, Press Services, Department of Public Information, The '''I
.RECENT ACQUISITIONS: DESIGN COLLECTION
THE MUSEUH OF HODERN P.R.T,NEH YORK
Sep~el!lbe:r26 ~ January 1, 1968
Hall Label
s:nce the Good\'JinGallery opened in 1964 an important part of the Huseum's Design
Collection has been continuous lyon viel'.
lew acquisitions are sho\'Jnfrom time to time, but the Gallery's limited capacity
MoMAExh_0840_MasterChecklist ~revents substantial additions or changes. Until it can be enlarged, current
Icquisitions \'Jillbe shown in separate exhibitions such as this, at intervals of
~ee or four years.
, Almost all the objects shoun here uere acquired since 1964. Apart from their
functional qualifications, two criteria determined their selection: quality and
~18torical significance.
An object is chosen for its design quality because it is thought to embody formal ,! tdeals of beauty. Tuo uell-knoun examp l.es from the past are Marcel Breuer's
~4ntilevered steel chair of 1928, and Hies van der Rohe's Barcelona chair of 1929;
:heir particular kind of elegance has not yet been surpassed.
llgcificance is a more flexible evaluation. It applies to objects uhi.ch mayor may
tot be beautiful ·but which have contributed to the development of design. An
t.(ampleis the 1917 pdnted \"Ioodchair by Gerrit Rietveld. It is neither comfortabl
tJ>r"beautiful" in any ;·lidelyaccepted sense; and yet it embodies design principles
:~t~still play a decisive role in much current \"Iork.
7r~ visitor to this exhibition will be able to decide for himself whether objects
r.e interesting for quality or historical significance, or for both; but certain
(more) -2- .xamples may be mentioned here.
cunnar Aagaard Andersen's chair, made of poured urethane foam, can be regarded as a
14ft sculpture in which, incidentally, one Can sit. Part of its significance is
tsehnical: the underlying idea is that certain plastics promote a free and highly
~ividual approach to the fabrication of furniture. Improved techniques of control
g~ght ultimately make it possible to pour an object without benefit of a mold, and
gO repeat or vary its shape at will. There is no reason for its shape to imitate
~ achieved by more conventional means, and Andersen's design contradicts ideas MoMAExh_0840_MasterChecklist Qf "good taste" as "le11 as good craftsmanship. The esthetic counterparts of his
thair are to be found in much recent painting and sculpture, rather than design, and
It remains to be seen if further developments in the use of plastics will follow ~!s lead.
\liatpeople tl0uld agree that Olivier Mourgue's chaise is beautiful. At first sight
,ta simplicity relates it to earlier modern furniture, but there is an important ,I 31fference: Mourgue has chosen to conce~l structure and technique rather than
nveal and elaborate it. The beauty of his design does not depend on our knouing
!<:1I it was made ,
~tveen these two extremes, the visitor uill observe several alternative approaches
t) deaign. Purity often co~exists uith variety. In appliances and other useful
~~Jtcta as well as in furniture, forLls are often elaborated beyond the requirements
I! function. There is also g~eater variety to be found in the design of lighting
f!.. d . 11 •-.ures J and indeed the choice offered the public to ay 1.S fina yb ag i.nm.ng . . to-
"'t the demand.
Arthur Drexler t, :etWuseum of Modern Art
} ;;:eet• NeW York, N.Y. 10019 Tel. 245-3200 Cable; Modernart
RECENT ACQUISITIONS: DESIGN COLLECTION September 26 - January 1, 1968
Checklist
FURNITURE
1. Gunnar Aagaard Andersen Chair. 1964 Urethane foam Executed at Dansk Polyether Industri, Denmark Gift of the designer
2. Joe Colombo MoMAExh_0840_MasterChecklist Chair. 1964 Bent p Lyuood Mfr.: Kartell Company, Italy Gift of the manufacturer
3. Hector Guimard Couch.- ca. 1898 Wood and tooled leather Designed for Castel B~rang"r, Paris Greta Daniel Design Fund
4. Danny Ho Fong Chaise. 1966 Rattan over steel frame Mfr.: Tropi-Cal, California Gift of the manufacturer
5. Poul Kjaarholm Foldi~g Stool. 1961 Chromec ~teel and cxhide MEr. : F. Lunnfng , Denmark ~tft of Ceo"g J~nsen,: Inc., New York, and Greta Daniel Design Fund
6. Y,jU Kukkapu~o ChaLr , 1965 Wood a~J leather Mfr. : Hammy Oy , Fin:and Gift of.Paul Secon, Inc., New York
7. Clement Meadmore Cha Lr , :963 Chromed eteel and leather Mfr.: Leif W2~smann Associates, Inc., New Yo~k Gift of David lihit"~y
8. Olivier Mourgue Chaise. 1965 Nylon stretch fabric over foam rubber on steel frame Mfr.: Airborca International, rc~nce ~ Gift of George Tan~f.r, In c,, N,,\;York (more) ~,
.~J!J,'¥S(~?!Iffi.Jk.4fit'.}!<;}'fi'~:'~fr.,,~¥JJ;$ifr:{... ;;;*~\,;{jJ~"~fJ*\"',t:":\-li);t,~~,.;·')",k::W;"i'«V.fi¥rr,·a::":: ,X ?\i'.M',"S, 'fI,"',;.!' ~t Mt!!j!.%'::,"':.'i¢!f \ 'f:' i -2- Reiko Murai 9· Stool. 1961 Bent pLywood l1ith teak veneer Mfr. : Tendo Nokko, Ltd., Japan Gift of the manufacturer
10. George Nelson Couch. 1963 Chromed steel and leather Mfr.: Herman Miller, Inc., New York Gift of the manufacturer
11. Antti Nurmesniemi Stool. 1965 Chromed steel and leather Gift of Bonniers, New York
;~. Verner Panton Stool Set. 1965 Bent p Lyuood MoMAExh_0840_MasterChecklist Mfr.: Geformtes Holz, Germany Gift of the manufacturer ! errit Tho7~Rie . d r , 1934 ' Wood . A r~~~~~e original chair in the ...,s.lflf'"aj Uk Museurrr)~';'msterdam .,..,."""--ExecutedbyMr. v~i1".li£rGroenekan,1965 Gift of ~·s. Phyllis B~~~t
11;, David Rowland ~ ~tacking Chair. 1964 Metal and baked vinyl seat and back; chromed steel Mfr.: General Fireproofing Company, New York , Gift of the man~facturer It J;. Aira and Tobia Scarpa Chair. 1966
" Walnut and leather Mfr.: Figli di Amedeo Cassina, Italy Gift of Atelier International, New York
I!. Richard Schultz Chaise. 1963 Painted metal and canvas Mfr.: Knoll Associates, Inc., New York Gift of the manufacturer
(more)
'.' t~ - 'if. I ~ ,,' ,,4 i • ,1 -' _P Sf -3- LIGHTlllG
17· Gerald Abramovitz Desk Lamp. 1962 Anodized aluminum housinD Mfr.: Best and Loyd, Ltd.,"' England Greta Daniel Design Fund
18. Arteluce Company Design Table Lamp. 1964 Painted metal Mfr.: Arteluce Company, Italy Greta Daniel D~stgn Fund
19· Arteluce Company Design Table Lamp. 1964 Painted metal Mfr.: Arteluce Company, Italy Greta Daniel Design Fund -, MoMAExh_0840_MasterChecklist 20. Artemide Company Design Outdoor Lamp. 1967 Painted metal and plastic Mfr.: Studio Artemide, Italy Gift of the manufacturer
21. Achille and Piergiacomo Castiglioni Hanging Lamp. 1963 Fiberglass Mfr.: Flos Company, Italy Greta Daniel Design Fund
22, Joe Colombo Floor Lamp. 1966 Painted metal on chromed steel support Mfr.: Ostuni O-Luce, Italy Gift of George Kovacs, Inc., New York
I Ekkehard Fahr Cantilever Floor Lamp. 1965 Aluminum housing with plastic hardware Mfr.: Fahr Company, Germany If Gift of the manufacturer i 24. Gruppo'Architetti Urbanisti Citt~ Nuova Lamp. 1966 Fiberglass and aluminum base t'. Mfr.: Studio Artemide, Italy Gift of the manufacturer
Hart",,( L~(-i966 _~r-~ ~nless steel M Aftern~~~pany, Nebraska ift of the manufactu~ (more)
~tt-\~,_ 1"~,."."__ """""" __ """";Fm:;~~~~~~~~~~~~~W1."'!,$~~l;r'~i"'!'~"T',,,,..,.~.t'7C:;"'#"''*~~'''-"":'''''''"':'t;!'''f,"","",4~~:1 '. ~":~'ttA,"" ..q . ~ -t. 1, -4- Cedric Hartman Reading Lamp. 1966 Nickel-plated brass and stainless ateel Mfr.: Afternoon Company, Nebraska Gift of the manufacturer 27· Michael Lax High-intensity Lamp. 1965 Enamelled and chromed metal with piastic base Mfr.: Lightolier, New Jersey Gift of the manufacturer
28. Gino Sarfatti Lamp. 1966 Painted metal with leather bean-bag base Mfr.: Arteluce Company, Italy Gift of Bonniers, New York
D. Waeckerlin
MoMAExh_0840_MasterChecklist Extendable Desk Lamp. 1951 Painted metal Mfr.: Ba ltensvn Ider , St1itzerland Gift of Design Research, Neti York
TIMEPIECES
Rudolph de Harak Wall Clock. 1966 Blue face tiith red hour marks; chromed steel housing Prototype, not in production Gift of the designer
3l. Rudolph de Har ak Wall Clock, 1966 •i ~lhite Face 'lith black hour marks ; chromed steel housing Prototype, not in production Gift of the designer I > ;, 32. Allen Klein and Guy Teschmacher Clock. 1966 . Tinted opaque plexiglas~ hO~Slng ation Philadelphia Mfr.: Rothschild Plast17s orpor , Gift of Atelier Internatlonal, New York
Enzo Mari Calendar. 1965 Enamel plastic and metal Mfr.: Danese, Italy Philip Johnson Fund I I 34. George Nelson Uall Clock. 1963 'n~ Plastl'c face,' chromed steel rl ~ Mfr.: Howard Miller Company, Hichigan Gift of the manufacturer ~ (more) -5-
Gino Valle (Graphics by Massimo Vignelli) Desk Clock. 1965 ~1hite numerals on revolving black plates; plastic housing Mfr.: Solari & Company, Italy Gift of the manufacturer
APPLIANCES
Terrance N. Taylor in collaboration ",ith Ampex Design Department Hand Microphone. 1966 Polished and epoxy~coated zinc Mfr.: Ampex Corporation, Illinois Gift of the manufacturer
Braun Company Design Coffee Grinder. 1965
MoMAExh_0840_MasterChecklist Plastic housing I Mfr.: Brauu Company, Germany Gift of the manufacturer
Braun Company Design Hair Dryer. 1965 Metal housing Mfr.: Braun Company, Germany Gift of the manufacturer
W. H. Doring of Union Carbide Corporation in collaboration ",ith D. a.Chase Recharaeable Flashlight. 1964 Plastic" housf ng Mfr.: Eveready of Union Carbide Corporation Gift of the manufacturer
40. Henry Dreyfus in collaboration ",ith Bell Telephone Laboratories Teleohone. 1965 Plastic housing Mfr.: Western Electric Company Gift of the Bell Telephone System
Robert \TeIch Knife Sharpen~r. 1965 Enameled steel Mfr.: Archetit, Ltd., England Gift of Bonniers, Ne", York
i I (more) I -6- TABLEWARE AND KITCHE~wARE
~. Carl~Arne Breger Fruit Juicer-Pitcher. 1965 Plastic Mfr.: Gustavsberg, Sweden Purchase
~3. Kenneth Brozen Serving Bm·lls. 1966 .~" Plastic with metal handle Mfr.: Robicson, Lewis & Rubin, Inc" New York Gift of the designer
411. ~~~m;~p'~ Plash'i."l~ith,loodhandle Mfr!;;r S'a~a Oy Loviisa, Finland
MoMAExh_0840_MasterChecklist ~eta Daniel-~ign Fund 45. Peter Raacke (Package by K. O. Bl~se) Kitchen Tool Set. 1965 Stainless steel utensils Mfr.: Hessische Metallwerke, Germany Gift of Bonniers, New York
116. Peter Raacke Flatware. 1966 Enameled metal Mfr.: Hessische Metallwerke, Germany Gift of Bonniers, New York
~7. Nick Roericht Stacking Tableware. 1963 Porcelain Mfr.: Rosenthal China Corporation, Thomas Division, Germany Gift of the manufacturer f 48. Britt-Louise Sundell Mixing Bowl. 1965 t Plastic ! Mfr.: Gustavsberg, Sweden !. ~ Gift of Design ~~}earCh, New York ~ 49. 'Massimo Vignelli St;cking.Tableware for six. 1964 Plastic --',~ Mfr.: •Arpe, ~Italy Gift-of the designer . oF" .". r .' JF.I-TELRY 50. Stephen Brody and Dan Stoenescu Rings. 1961 Plastic Cadoro Jewels, New york Purchase (more) .' -7-
Lynn Sexton Bracelet. 1966 Plastic Mfr.: Satisfaction, New York purchase
Henri TrOnquoy/ 52· cklace. 1~66 eke 1 ./ ~ P ~totyp~;fnot in production Gift of Mildred Constantine \/ £I. Henr~ 'r,ronquoy Nec.klace·. 1966 Bfass, '" .~ i"'rototype;+'n(ltin production Gift of Shei1~ Hicks I" '\. Henri Tronquoy'" \.... ) .
MoMAExh_0840_MasterChecklist Necklace. 1966 ' Brass Prototype, not in production Gift of Sheila Hicks
/ CRAFTS
55. Harvey Littleton Vase. 1963 Blown Glass Greta Daniel Design Fund
36. Gertrud and Otto Natzler BO~ll. 1961 Hand-thrown by Gertrud Natzler Glaze composition by Otto Natzler Glaze: "vardigris crater", a rough green ,lithblack craters, the viscosity cf th~ Lead-Zinc-Titanium glaze forming a large d~op. Color derived from Cc?per, Manganese and Cobalt. Oxidation fired. Philip Johnson Fund
57. Louis Comfort Tiffany Vase. ca. 1900 Favrile Glass Gift of Joseph H. Heil
58. Moshe Zabari Charity Box. 1964 SilverInscription: "With grace, with loving kindness, and tender mercy" Mfr.: Tobe Pascher Horkshop of the Jel~ishMuseum, New York Gift of Dr. a~d Mrs. Abram Kanof
Sheila Hicks 59. ~lal1Hanging ("Prayer Rug"). 1965 Wool, hooked uith braided and wrapped pile Gift of Dr. Mittelsten Scheid
e , -8-
MISCELLANEOUS
Antonio Campi EO· Scissors. 1964 Chromed steel Mfr.: Co11ini & Company, Italy Gift of the manufacturer.
Lanier Graham Chess set. 1966 Walnut and korina Mfr.: Bernard V1a1sh, for the Junior Council of The Museum of Modern Art, Ne~1York Gift of the designer
(9.. Gene Runlitt Containers. 1966 Plastic Mfr.: Amac Plastic Products Corporation, California MoMAExh_0840_MasterChecklist Purchase
Enzo Mari Ornamental object. 1959-63 Four.spheres embedded in plastic Ufr. : Danese, Italy.:. Greta Daniel Design Fund 64. Henri Matisse Printed Fabric. ca. 1912-13 Japanese silk Ufr.: poiret, Paris Purchase
Bruno.Mutl3ri Toy. 1965 Plastic spheres Mfr.: Danese, Italy Greta Daniel Design Fund
(.6. Eric Randmarl< V1indoublinds. 1963 Aluminum, painted white Mfr.: Royal Crest venetian Blind Company, Ohio Gift of the manufacturer I 61. Giorgio soavi 19'61' i ornamental object. ' Chromed stee1 1 I Mir . Olivetti Company, }ta y, ., f the manufacturer Gift 0 I I 68. ~~iO V1irl