Art Opening at the High- "European Design Since 1985: Shaping the New Century"

The High Museum of Art is known for its impressive 19th-century American decorative arts collection of antique furniture and design, ranging from a beautiful red sofa by John Jelliff and Company of New Jersey, circa 1865- 1875, to the colorful Quilted Bedcover by an unknown African American maker circa 1875-1900. However, June 5, 2010, marks a shift in the museum’s focus on design with the opening of “European Design Since 1985: Shaping the New Century,” which runs until August 29, 2010.

Working with Modern Atlanta (MA), the museum hopes that the public will respond well to the exhibition covering the last twenty years of design. As local schools and universities like SCAD Atlanta and Georgia Tech supply creative energy and students, Atlanta appears to be in the market for more contemporary exhibitions. MA hosts events “to promote design excellence that comes through the creation of sought-after services and desirable products that inspire and satisfy the needs of humanity, and in turn, encourage sustainable practices in lives, businesses, and the public” (http://bit.ly/c2pNkn). The exhibition coincides with six days of presentations focusing on contemporary design as well as “Design After Dark,” a cocktail party on the High's piazza on Saturday, June 5, 2010, from 7 to 11 pm.

The exhibition will include works from fourteen Western European countries and designers including John Angelo Benson and Ron Arad. The pieces seek to overcome traditional boundaries set by politics and culture and reach a higher aesthetic of art and design. Using materials like hay, glass or metalwork, the furniture comes together as visually stunning and avant-garde.

For more information on the exhibition, please visit http://bit.ly/9C4mZZ. Also, check out last week’s AccessAtlanta article for information on the collaboration between the High and MA.