Scandinavian Design and the United States, 1890–1980is the first exhibition to examine the extensive design exchanges between the United States and the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) during the 20th century. Serving as a corrective to the dominant narrative of central European emigres shaping modern American design culture, the exhibition will present a new international story, featuring accounts of Scandinavian designers who immigrated to the United States; Americans who studied or worked in Nordic countries; the ambitious campaigns to market and export Scandinavian design to American consumers; and the American and Nordic figures who championed sustainable and accessible design practice.
Focusing on the extensive influence of Scandinavian design in the United States, this catalog shows how Nordic ideas about modern design and the objects themselves had an indelible impact on American culture and material life. It also considers America's influence on Scandinavian design, showing how the cultural exchange is mutual by nature. In addition to familiar material like Danish furniture and Swedish glass, readers will learn about America's little-known "Viking Revival" style; the work of Howard Smith, an African-American artist who immigrated to Finland in the 1960s; and the myriad ways Scandinavian toys and household goods helped shape American child-rearing practices.
Hardcover
336 pages
25,0 x 29,0 cm
220 color illustrations