Exhibition "The value of a good design" of MoMA

This week the MoMA has opened The value of a good design, an exhibition that examines the titular subject by looking back to look forward:

Peter Schlumbohm (American, born in Germany, 1896-1962). Chemex Coffee Maker. 1941. Pyrex glbad, wood and leather, 9 1/2 × 6 1/8? (24.2 × 15.5 cm). Manufactured by Chemex Corp. (New York, NY, East, 1941). The Museum of Modern Art New York. Donated by Lewis & Conger

Sony Corporation (Tokyo, Japan, East, 1946). Television (TX8-301). 1959. Plastic, metal and glbad, 8 1/2 × 8 1/4 × 10? (21.6 × 21 × 25.4 cm). The Museum of Modern Art New York. Donated by Jo Carole and Ronald S. Lauder

Sori Yanagi (Japanese, 1915-2011). Butterfly stools. 1956. Molded plywood and metal, each: 15 1/2 × 17 3/8 × 12 1/8? (39.4 × 44.1 × 30.8 cm). Manufactured by Tendo Co., Ltd., (Tokyo, Japan, East, 1940). The Museum of Modern Art New York. Gift of the designer

"Is there any art in a broomstick? Yes," says the Museum of Modern Art in Manhattan, "it is designed for both its utility and its beauty." This quote, taken from a Time magazine magazine published in 1953 and devoted to one of MoMA's mid-century Good Design exhibitions, goes to the heart of a question asked by the Museum since its creation: what is good design and how can it improve everyday life?

Greta Von Nessen (American, born in Sweden, 1898-1978). No matter where lamp. 1951. Aluminum and enamelled steel, 14 3/4 × 14 1/4? (37.5 x 36.2 cm). Manufactured by Nessen Studio, Inc. (New York, NY, is 1927). The Museum of Modern Art New York. Architecture and Design Purchase Fund

Dante Giacosa (Italian, 1905-1996). 500f city car. Designed in 1957 (this example in 1968). Steel with fabric top, 52 × 52 × 116 7/8? (132.1 × 132.1 × 296.9 cm). Built by Fiat S.p.A. (Turin, Italy, East, 1899). The Museum of Modern Art New York. Donated by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles Heritage. Photo of Jonathan Muzikar © Museum of Modern Art

L. M. Ericsson Telephone Company, (Swedish, East, 1876). Hugo Blomberg (Swedish, born in 1897), Ralph Lysell (Swedish, born in 1907), Hans Gösta Thames (Swedish, born in 1916). Ericofon Phone. 1949-1954. ABS plastic, rubber and nylon case .1 (white): 8 1/2 x 3 7/8 x 4 3/8? (21.6 x 9.8 x 11.1 cm); .2 (yellow): 9 1/8 x 3 7/8 x 4 3/8? (23.2 x 9.8 x 11.1 cm). The Museum of Modern Art New York. Given anonymously

With objects ranging from furniture and appliances to ceramics, glbad, electronics, transportation design, sporting goods, toys and graphics, The value of a good design explores the potential for democratization of design, starting with MoMA's Good Design initiatives from the late '30s to the' 50s, which championed well-designed and affordable contemporary products.

Swift & Anderson, Inc. (Boston, MA, founded in 1926). Outdoor thermometer. Before 1946. Metal, painted metal and glbad, diam. 4 1/8? (10.5 cm). The Museum of Modern Art New York. Donated by Lewis & Conger

Max Bill (Switzerland, 1908-1994). Kitchen clock. 1956-1957. Ceramic, metal and glbad, 10 1/4 × 7 5/16 × 2 1/4? (26 × 18.5 × 5.7 cm). Manufactured by Gebrüder Junghans AG (Schramberg, Germany, East, 1861). The Museum of Modern Art New York. Architecture and Design Purchase Fund. Photo of Thomas Griesel © Museum of Modern Art

John R. Carroll (American, 1892-1958). Presto cheese slicer. c. 1944. Cast aluminum and steel wire, 4 1/2 × 3 3/4? (11.4 × 9.5 cm). Manufactured by R.A. Frederick Co. (USA). The Museum of Modern Art New York. Gift of Edgar Kaufmann, Jr.

The exhibition also raises questions about what good design could mean today and whether mid-century values ​​can be translated and redefined for a 21st century audience. Visitors are invited to judge for themselves by trying out some good design clbadics still in production and explaining how, through its design stores, MoMA continues to incubate new products and ideas in an international market. .

Irwin Gershen (American). Shrimp cleaner. 1954. Plastic and metal, 8 1/2 × 3 1/4 × 3/4? (21.6 × 8.3 × 1.9 cm). Manufactured by Plastic Dispensers Inc. The Museum of Modern Art New York. Department purchase

Charlotte Perriand (French, 1903-1999). Low chair. Designed in 1940, manufactured in 1946. Bamboo, 28 1/2 × 24 1/4 × 30 3/8? (72.4 × 61.6 × 77.2 cm). The Museum of Modern Art New York. Gift of Lisa Tananbaum, Susan Hayden, Alice Tisch and the Committee on Funds for Architecture and Design. Photo of Jonathan Muzikar © Museum of Modern Art

Zeiss-Werk (Jena, East Germany / DDR). Werra 1 35mm camera. c. 1955-1960. Aluminum body with vulcanite surface, 3 × 4 1/2 × 2 1/2? (7.6 × 11.4 × 6.4 cm). The Museum of Modern Art New York. Gift of Michael Maharam. Photo of Thomas Griesel © Museum of Modern Art

The promotional video makes good use of archive images:

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The value of a good design short until June 15, 2019.