Mid-century modernism and the American body : race, gender, and the politics of power in design /
Wilson, Kristina,
Mid-century modernism and the American body : race, gender, and the politics of power in design / - vii, 254 pages : illustrations (some colour) ; 26 cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Introduction -- The body in control : Modernism and the pursuit of better living -- "Modern Design? You Bet!" Ebony, Life, and Modernist Design, 1950-1959 -- Like a "girl in a bikini suit" and other stories : narrating race and gender at Herman Miller -- "The quick appraising glance" : decorative accessories and the staged self -- Epilogue : the ubiquity of mid-century Modernism.
In the world of interior design, mid-century Modernism has left an indelible mark still seen and felt today in countless open-concept floor plans and spare, geometric furnishings. Yet despite our continued fascination, we rarely consider how this iconic design sensibility was marketed to the diverse audiences of its era. Examining advice manuals, advertisements in Life and Ebony, furniture, art, and more, this book offers a powerful new look at how codes of race, gender, and identity influenced - and were influenced by - Modern design and shaped its presentation to consumers. Taking us to the booming suburban landscape of postwar America, Kristina Wilson demonstrates that the ideals defined by popular Modernist furnishings were far from neutral or race-blind.
9780691208190 9780691208190: £34.00 0691208190
2020010430
GBC146065 bnb
020140118 Uk
Design--Social aspects--History--United States--20th century.
Modernism (Aesthetics)--Social aspects--United States.
Decorative arts--Marketing.--United States
Power (Social sciences)--History--United States--20th century.
745.40973 / WIL
Mid-century modernism and the American body : race, gender, and the politics of power in design / - vii, 254 pages : illustrations (some colour) ; 26 cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Introduction -- The body in control : Modernism and the pursuit of better living -- "Modern Design? You Bet!" Ebony, Life, and Modernist Design, 1950-1959 -- Like a "girl in a bikini suit" and other stories : narrating race and gender at Herman Miller -- "The quick appraising glance" : decorative accessories and the staged self -- Epilogue : the ubiquity of mid-century Modernism.
In the world of interior design, mid-century Modernism has left an indelible mark still seen and felt today in countless open-concept floor plans and spare, geometric furnishings. Yet despite our continued fascination, we rarely consider how this iconic design sensibility was marketed to the diverse audiences of its era. Examining advice manuals, advertisements in Life and Ebony, furniture, art, and more, this book offers a powerful new look at how codes of race, gender, and identity influenced - and were influenced by - Modern design and shaped its presentation to consumers. Taking us to the booming suburban landscape of postwar America, Kristina Wilson demonstrates that the ideals defined by popular Modernist furnishings were far from neutral or race-blind.
9780691208190 9780691208190: £34.00 0691208190
2020010430
GBC146065 bnb
020140118 Uk
Design--Social aspects--History--United States--20th century.
Modernism (Aesthetics)--Social aspects--United States.
Decorative arts--Marketing.--United States
Power (Social sciences)--History--United States--20th century.
745.40973 / WIL