It should come as no surprise that a couple like Charles and Ray, who showed such child-like exuberance themselves, would have designed for children. Animal masks, kites, “The Toy” building kit, a “Do-Nothing Machine,” and the House of Cards are all playful examples. On view at MoMA are the Hang-It-All and a child’s chair—one of the Eameses’ first successful molded plywood furniture designs.

“Century of the Child” is open now through November 5, 2012.

“With Herman Miller operating in our back yard,” Hayner says, “it is important for the Museum to hold up and examine the process of design as its been practiced in West Michigan for nearly eight decades. We decided to focus on case studies that explore design problems and solutions created by some of the talented artists who have created masterpieces of modern design for the company, and continue to do so today.”

The case studies—or “stories”—were chosen to embody four different active characteristics of “good design,” as a result of the problem-solving ethos of Herman Miller:
Ergonomics (Seating) – Good Design Explores
White Collar Work (Action Office) – Good Design Inquires
Graphic Communications – Good Design Engages
Mid-Century Classics – Good Design Endures

Guest curator John R. Berry, explains the organization of the exhibition: “Each object grouping started with identifying a need—to furnish a new type of living space, for healthier seating, to effectively communicate a message, or to support new kinds of work.” The inspiration for the exhibition came from his recent book, Herman Miller: The Purpose of Design.

The exhibition uses drawings, models, prototypes, photographs, oral histories, and original designed objects to showcase the creation and evolution of many masterpieces of 20th and 21st century design by such artists as Gilbert Rohde, Ray & Charles Eames, George Nelson, Alexander Girard, Robert Propst, Steve Frykholm, Bill Stumpf and Don Chadwick, and others.

By Marcia Davis