Even after women had established their status in society after the Industrial Revolution and the Suffrage movement, they were constantly exposed to discriminatory sayings such as “Girls ought to be quiet and obedient,” and “Women belong in the kitchen.” What was frequently observed on special occasions or even daily routines reflected upon this social norm as well. Men stayed seated, gathered at a lounge drinking tea or socializing, while women huddled in a kitchen, cooking meals to feed the relatives and family members.
A traditional scene of women in the kitchen probably comes off as familiar and even “comfortable” to those who resist change. But is this familiarity, otherwise known as social belief in a broader context, an adequate justification to perpetuate the distinction of where each gender belongs? By strictly defining where women fit in, is society not limiting the subtle abilities possessed by women?
To locate answers and further implications of these questions, one should step out and explore the Museum of Modern Art’s newly debuted exhibition: “Designing Modern Women 1890-1990.” First opened on October 5th of this year, MoMA’s exhibit unveils artworks and objects designed by women. Some of the highlights include the kitchen in the Unité d’Habitation, designed by Charlotte Perriand, and a wooden chair designed by Margaret and Charles Mackintosh. By displaying works designed by women, the exhibit demonstrates that the kitchen is not the only place where women belong; they have more to offer and bring to the table – not just the one in the kitchen.
Though seemingly crowded with women’s independent works, the exhibition actually holds many projects collaborated by both men and women. This “collaboration” was especially necessary for women, due to their social standing. Under the social belief held by people from the 20th century, women were rarely given the opportunity to publicize their design work, unless men were somehow involved with their efforts. For instance, when Charlotte Perriand requested to work with the male architect Le Corbusier, she was at first dismissed by him with a condescending remark, “We don’t embroider cushions here,”Only after he took a look at her creation of a rooftop bar at the Salon d’Automne was she allowed to begin designing. She came up with designs of three chairs, such as the red leather revolving armchair; they are credited to not only Perriand, but also to Le Corbusier and Pierre Jeanneret. Though it cannot be said for sure that the chairs were her independent designs, it is clear that the societal influences of her male partners were greater than one can imagine.
Ironically, many objects displayed at this exhibit are items that have been classically associated with women. Few prominent examples include Marianne Brandt’s Bauhaus teapot and Ada Louise Huxtable’s metal cookware hanging on hooks, not to mention Perriand’s French kitchen in the Unité d’Habitation. However, this should not be used as a measure to place boundaries on women’s ability to design. It simply reflects upon the tradition of where women linger the most: the domestic setting. If women had more exposure to the outside world, there might have been female-designed buildings. Women might even have a bigger share of the industry now.
The notion that women were just not fully exposed to other environments to produce quality designs related to the industrial world, is sustained through the successful performance of modern-day female automobile designers. Along with the immense popularity and publicity of cars, female designers slowly appeared and soon became indispensable to the industry. Thanks to their exceptional attention to detail, most of them partake in designing the interiors of cars. They bring the completion of designing inner mechanisms of cars to a whole different level, by concentrating on details like color and shapes of each component. If so, why is it the primary role of male designers to design the exterior? The detail-oriented characteristic of women cannot be the reason for such convention; details also exist in the designs of car exterior, such as the contour, curve, and tint of different pieces – headlights and door handles. This aspect gives women qualification to be engaged in the exterior designs as well. In fact, female designers already proved that they too, could be strong when it comes to designing both the interior and exterior of vehicles. The BMW Z4 is a fabulous example that illustrates such abilities of women, as it is one of the rare cars that were redesigned purely by two females. Even though it was first introduced in 2008, it is still in production today, which indicates its lucrative success. This is not to undermine men’s ability to design. They are very capable of imagining the big picture, which is a crucial feature to consider in the industry. Through collaboration, female and male designers can remedy each other’s shortcomings.
Whether this MoMA’s exhibition, “Designing Modern Women 1890-1990,” constitutes mostly of works designed by both genders should not be a primary concern of the viewer. The showcase is not to merely catalogue the accomplishments of female designers. Rather, it is to illustrate where, and how, women stood as part of society in the not-so-far-behind past. Similar events to that of MoMA can bring much attention to this gender issue. True change cannot begin without recognition.
Works Cited:
“CHARLOTTE PERRIAND Architect + Furniture Designer (1903-1999) Design Museum Collection.” Design Museum. 18 Nov. 2013 <http://designmuseum.org/design/charlotte-perriand>.
“EXHIBITIONS.” MoMA. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Nov. 2013. <http://www.moma.org/visit/calendar/exhibitions/1397>.
Johnson, Ken. “Shaping the Future, in the Kitchen and Beyond ‘Designing Modern Women 1890-1990,’ at MoMA.” The New York Times. The New York Times Company, 31 Oct. 2013. Web. 18 Nov. 2013. <http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/01/arts/design/designing-modern-women-1890-1990-at-moma.html?_r=1&>.
Kelly, Caitlin. “A Woman’s Touch, Still a Rarity in Car Design.” The New York Times. The New York Times Company, 29 Oct. 2013. Web. 18 Nov. 2013. <http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/30/automobiles/a-womans-touch-still-a-rarity-in-car-design.html?pagewanted=all>.
Khanchandani, Priya. “Designing Modern Women 1890-1990.” Disegno Daily. N.p., 10 Oct. 2013. Web. 18 Nov. 2013. <http://disegnodaily.com/opinion/designing-modern-women-1890-1990>.
