Art history is full of those moments where someone challenges the validity of a (fill-in-the-blank) being displayed on the walls of a museum. It has happened to many forms of art, from photography during its early days, to a massive abstract expressionism by Hitler at his Entartete Kunst exhibition, to even the small (yet no less powerful) signing of a urinal readymade by Marcel Duchamp.
The best part of a modern society is that we begin to loosen our grip of what art is once we realize it is often many things and in many forms.
This can be applied readily to "
Graphic Design: Now In Production," a brand new exhibit so extensive and exhaustive in scope and scale that it must be housed in two institutions in our city: The Grand Rapids Art Museum and Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University.
This form of community collaboration is nothing new for the GRAM, which has been authoring a new history as it partners more and more with other cultural institutions, education centers, and even outside venues like The Whitney Museum.
Now in partnership with the Smithsonian's Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum and the Walker Art Center, this new collection showcases a field of art that has not always had such a scholarly treatment.
Due to the size and scale of the works being exhibited, the GRAM will be featuring works around the topics of Typography, Branding & Identity, Information Design, and Film & Television. Over at Kendall's The Federal Building (The Fed), Posters, Magazines, Books, Storefront, and Film & Television will be on display.
The GRAM will also be the first major museum in the world to earn the bragging rights of owning a complete set of Stephen Frykholm’s colorful and lively Herman Miller Picnic Posters, on display during the run of Graphic Design. (Prior to this acquisition, New York’s Museum of Modern Art is believed to have had the largest collection.)
"This is a wonderful show for many reasons. First, it is fitting to showcase this work here as West Michigan is a center for design and creativity as evident in the works by Frykholm [and] the many groups who are devoted to the advancement in this area," said Dana Friis-Hansen, GRAM director and CEO. "Also, by having this show spread out over two venues, it gives people a chance to walk about the city, which we know is great for visibility and our area businesses."
But Friis-Hansen cautions folks who come down to be prepared for a "feast for the eyes," as this show is probably one of the largest they or Kendall has ever exhibited, object-wise. You will want to take your time to enjoy this show, which spans print, video, and even future concepts on this genre.
On Friday, Feb. 1, at Kendall Room 217 in the Historic Federal Building, the public are invited to listen to a panel of speakers from 3 - 5 p.m. Speakers include Andrew Blauvelt, Curator of Architecture and Design at the Walker Art Center; Dan Powers, Interactive Designer, LUST/Graphic and Interactive Design Studio based in The Hague, Netherlands; Chris Fox, Grand Rapids Designer; and Jason Alger, Associate Professor of Graphic Design, Kendall.
Later, at 7 p.m. (and after a book signing at the GRAM’s gift shop), Blauvelt will lead a Friday Night Conversation within the gallery of this new exhibition.
Admission: Free to members, $5 - 8 for nonmembers.