classics of 20th century design a display by shethvivek from india

Classics of 20th Century Design, a Display
“Design Today in America and Europe”, was presented in India under the auspices of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, with a generous grant from the Ford Foundation in 1959. The exhibition presented and curated by the Museum of Modern Art, New York toured India for one year showcasing the best of America and Europe’s Industrial design. It was aimed at creating awareness in new technologies and processes in manufacturing for a nation that was progressing in industrialization by leaps and bounds. It also showcased a modern lifestyle that intervention of design could provide with context to India.

Later in 1959 , it was agreed that this collection of 350 objects would be permanently loaned to India to form a nucleus of design collection, much like that at the MOMA, New York. In 1962 with the formal establishment of the National Institute of Design, at Ahmedabad gave a new home to the collection as promised and 50 years since it is still a part of the prototype collection at NID.

The end design outcome revolves around designing a permanent exhibit/gallery space to house the ‘Classic Collection’. The space for the gallery will be located in the Paldi Campus of the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad. This also included the in depth research about the collection, their present condition and the possibilities of restoration and conservation.

As a part of the project, I worked intensely with these objects of desire, to study and understand them. Mainly to chart out a conservation plan for them and to eventually display them for the benefit of the larger Indian Design Community. More than anything, this project was a great learning about the 20th Century Modernism while I compared it with the earlier periods of Design History.

The presentation of the objects as an exhibition experience is primarily intended for the restoration of the collection along with showcasing the inspiration NID has drawn from to develop the basis of modern Indian Design. It is also intended for the perusal of student and educators of design, at NID. The exhibit is moreover envisaged to members of the other design schools, Architects and Design Professionals, as also to visitors of NID. Many of who are aware of design, design education at the institute and the spirit of learning design.