The World of Charles and Ray Eames exhibition, curated by Catherine Ince and designed by 6a architects, analyses the careers of Charles (1907-1978) and Ray (1912-1988), and the extraordinary body of work prodced by the Eames Office.- a ‘laboratory’, active for over four decades, in which the Eameses, their collaborators and staff produced "an array of pioneering and influential work – from architecture, furniture, graphic and product design, to painting, drawing, film, sculpture, photography, multi-media installation and exhibitions, as well as new models for education."
Charles once recalled a conversation he had with Eero Saarinen on the subject of the Guest/Host Relationship, saying:
One of the things we hit upon was the quality of a host. That is, the role of the architect, or the designer, is that of a very good, thoughtful host, all of whose energy goes into trying to anticipate the needs of his guests—those who enter the building and use the objects in it. We decided that this was an essential ingredient in the design of a building or a useful object.
The quote was originally published as part of Digby Diehl’s interview with Charles Eames in the Los Angeles Times on October 8, 1972.
Bringing together over 380 works -many of which have not until now been exhibited in the United Kingdom- this exhibition "offers an opportunity to re-examine their work and legacy, alongside the legacy of post-war Modernism." Using contextual material and a wealth of artifacts from their professional and personal archive, the exhibition show us their collaborations with the leading artistic figures of the 20th century and their immediate circle included Buckminster Fuller, Alexander Girard, Sister Corita Kent, George Nelson, Isamu Noguchi, Eero Saarinen, Saul Steinberg and Billy Wilder.
Structured thematically, "the exhibition presents a complex portrait of these internationally celebrated designers in the context of the inner world of their office and network, alongside the political, cultural and social conditions which enabled and influenced their work."
The work of the Eames Office is characterised for most people by designs for furniture and products, yet their avid interest in addressing the needs of any given problem led them to design and communicate using a wide variety of tools and media. The story of the Eames Office is that of the trajectory of visual and material culture in the post-war period of the last century. Charles and Ray Eames moved fluidly between the mass-production of objects for everyday use and the transmission of ideas through exhibition, film or installation, in anticipation of the global ‘information age’. They were driven by philosophical ideals that favoured knowledge, discovery and discipline; embraced the potential of technology and science for the common good; and saw no separation between life and work.
The Eames Office was a hub of activity where the Eameses and their collaborators produced an array of pioneering designs, communicating their ideas with a boundless creativity that defined their careers. The Eameses embraced the joy of trial and error and approached design as a way of life.
From personal letters, photographs, drawings and artwork, to their products, models, multi-media installations and furniture, The World of Charles and Ray Eames includes not only the designs for which they are best known, but provides an insight into the lives of the Eameses, the Eames Office and the breadth of their pioneering work, bringing their ideas and playful spirit to life.
Dates.- 21 October 2015 - 14 February 2016.
Venue.- Art Gallery. Barbican Estate, London EC2Y, UK.
Organizers.- Barbican Art Gallery / Eames Office.
