Exhibition Showcases Two Decades of European Design

"European Design Since 1985: Shaping the New Century" opens in early March and runs through June 21.

Laurel Petriello -- Interior Design, 2/9/2009 12:00:00 AM

RADI Designers, Whippet Bench, 1998

Philippe Starck, Hella Jongerius, Marcel Wanders, Marc Newson—the list goes on. Innovative design spanning multiple facets including architecture, interiors, furniture, and products churned out from skilled European designers like clock-work during the 20th century. The industry witnessed intense periods of creativity throughout such eras as the Bauhaus school and the Modernism boom. Today, the Indianapolis Museum of Art (IMA), is ready to celebrate the latest wave of European design greats with an exhibition titled, “European Design Since 1985: Shaping the New Century.”

 
Tom Dixon, Jack Lights, 1997; Snowcrash, Airbag Chair, 1997

The first comprehensive assessment of Western European design from 1985 to 2005, the exhibit traces notable contributions to the field from 118 influential designers including Ron Arad, Jurgen Bey, Zaha Hadid, Hella Jongerius, Jasper Morrison, Marc Newson, Philippe Starck, Borek Sipek, Maarten Van Severen, Marcel Wanders, Tord Boontje, the Bouroullec brothers, Konstantin Grcic, Studio Job, and more.

 
Mathias Bengtsson, 03 Slice, 1999; Maarten Van Severen, CK94 Bookcase, 1994

“This exhibition presents…a new perspective through which to view the European design scene from the late 20th century to the present, a time of great creative exploration,” said R. Craig Miller, curator of design arts at the IMA. “‘European Design’ will redefine two major movements, Modernism and Postmodernism, which have not only largely shaped design in Europe, but have also had a profound impact worldwide.”
 
Marc Newson, Orgone Chair, 1993; Jerszy Seymour, Pipe Dreams Watering Can, 2000

The traveling show, organized in conjunction with the Denver Art Museum and London’s Kingston University, opens at in March at the IMA, and runs through June 21. Upon the exhibition’s launch, the IMA will host a two-day international symposium exploring European decorative and industrial design on March 6 and 7 featuring an extensive list of design speakers and panelists including Alberto Alessi, Jurgen Bey, George Beylerian, Juli Capella, and others. Additional tour dates and venues for the show will be announced at a later date.

All images courtesy of the Indianapolis Museum of Art.