Noticias
The Museum of Modern Art celebrates 100 years of Swiss design
October 12, 2017A walk through the development and innovation in the field of design of the Swiss Confederation offers the exhibition 100 years of Swiss design, in which 250 objects can be appreciated, including telephones, cameras, clocks, watches, glasses, sports equipment, razors, pens, chairs, textiles and ceramics.
The new assembly of the Museum of Modern Art (MAM), based on the exhibition 100 years of Swiss design, which the Museum für Gestaltung housed in Zurich in 2014, presents the achievements of Swiss design through everyday objects and the iconic furniture of Le Corbusier, Max Bill and Hans Bellmann.
Unlike the one presented in Switzerland, this exhibition to be showed from October 12th 2017 to February 25th 2018, is divided into eight thematic areas: Technology and innovation, Mobility and tourism, Appliances and kitchen articles, Luminaires, Furniture, Fashion and lifestyle, Swissness + Swiss Style, and SwissMex.
María del Carmen Canales, deputy director of the Museum of Modern Art, said that the exhibition was organized in collaboration with the Swiss Embassy in Mexico and Design Week Mexico, adapting itself to those objects that are very significant in Mexico.
“Swiss design is apparently not well known to Mexicans, but on the tour you will discover that many of the objects have accompanied us throughout our lives. It has been so classic and avant-garde that even today it is still in force and different objects continue to be produced.
The official added that the visitors will know the proposals of Swiss designers who have worked in Mexico, and Mexican designers who have been trained or worked in Switzerland, and who are now doing their creations in their home country.
Daniel Zulauf, Deputy Head of Mission of the Swiss Embassy in Mexico, stressed that his country has a long tradition of design, which enjoys an excellent reputation worldwide, for example in the graphic and industrial areas.
He stressed that Switzerland shares great links in the field of design with Mexico for over 70 years, so some of the designs of creators linked to Mexico can be seen, as is the case of Hannes Meyer.
“He came to Mexico in 1938 where he lived for ten years, a time in which he was director of the Institute of Urbanism and Planning, the National Polytechnic Institute, as well as the Popular Graphic Workshop”.
Another contemporary example, he said, was Yves Béhar, a native of Lausanne, who in 2010 contributed to the project To see well to learn better, promoted by the Department of Public Education, where eyewear designs were made for students with visual acuity problems.
“Design is the reflection of our society, habits, customs, culture and traditions. The exhibition is a display of ten decades that describes Swiss society very well. You can go from a switch to a lamp, from a typography to a lens, from a skateboard to an airline, from a ten franc ticket to a red passport.”
Daniel Zulauf added that the Swiss design is not only summed up in the clock created by Hans Hilfiker and present in 800 train stations, so the exhibition will also show objects inspired by the Swiss Alps and furniture, such as the replica of the emergency chair created by Pierre Jeanneret in 1942.
Touring the exhibition, Francisco Torres Muñiz, curator of the exhibition, commented that it was complemented by posters and books, taking a different look at the assembly presented in Switzerland.
He pointed out that the selection of objects was made under the criteria that they were "very Swiss" elements in contrast to Mexico, whose typography changed, and that the SwissMex section exhibited the work of Mexican designers with influence of the European country.
Regarding the objects in the exhibition, 210 are originals, 21 are reprints, 13 special editions and six reproductions. The 50 posters and 42 books come from 27 collections of museums and galleries, as well as private collectors.
Some of the classic Swiss designs on display include Alfred Neweczerzal's Rex peeler, Hans Coray's Landi chair, Max Bill's Ulm stool and Victorinox's knives. As well as the Helvetica, Univers and Frutiger typeface families, which have had a presence in graphic design worldwide.
100 years of Swiss design will be open to the public at the Museum of Modern Art until February 25th 2018. The MAM is located in Paseo de la Reforma and Gandhi, Chapultepec Forest. Schedule: Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 17:30 hours. General admission: $60. On Sundays the entrance is free.
Mexico,Distrito Federal
