Black and White – Designing Opposites exhibition

Angeli Sachs, curator of the exhibition underway at the Museum of Design in Zurich, reflects on the cultural and social significance and the ideas underlying use of two absolute opposites: "black" and "white", examined in architecture, design and fashion.

Black and white are not "just" colours, but conceal a whole world of meanings to be considered in relation to the traditions and cultural background of the people who use them.
There are three stages in this reflection: the idea, its application and the effect of the two colours in each discipline.
In the case of architecture, the examples contemplated in the exhibition are innovative black and white buildings such as the "Haus am Horn" in Weimar by Georg Muche or the ?Büro" in Flims by Valerio Olgiati. The works of design featured in the exhibition are by architects Mario Botta, Konstantin Grcic and Nicolas Le Moigne.

(Agnese Bifulco)

Title: Black and White – Designing Opposites
Dates: November 9 2011 ? March 4 2012
Location: Zurich Museum of Design, Zurich
Illustrations: courtesy of Zurich Museum of Design

www.museum-gestaltung.ch

Captions

01
Kienzle
Tischuhr, Hamburg, 1960, Museum f¸r Gestaltung Z¸rich, Designsammlung, Photo: fxjaggy/u.romito, © ZHdK

02
"Schwarz Weiss" Ausstellung
im Museum f¸r Gestaltung Z¸rich, 9. November 2011 bis 4. M‰rz 2012, Photo: Regula Bearth

03
Gareth Pugh
Spring Summer Collection, Paris, 2009, Photo: © Chris Moore/catwalking.com

04
Elio Martinelli
1968, Museum f¸r Gestaltung Z¸rich, Designsammlung, Photo: fxjaggy/u.romito, © ZHdK

05
Ausstellung ÑSchwarz Weiss ñ Design der Gegens‰tzeì
im Museum f¸r Gestaltung Z¸rich, 9. November 2011 bis 4. M‰rz 2012, Photo: Regula Bearth

06
Konstantin Grcic
Chair_One, 2004, Museum f¸r Gestaltung Z¸rich, Designsammlung, Photo: fxjaggy/u.romito, © ZHdK

07
Victor Vasarely
Capella, 1970, Museum f¸r Gestaltung Z¸rich, Kunstgewerbesammlung, Photo: fxjaggy/u.romito, © ZHdK

08
Friedrich Kiesler und Armand Bartos
Shrine of The Book, The Israel Museum, Jerusalem, 1957-1965, Photo: © Angeli Sachs

09
Ineke Hans
Black Gold Coffee Set, 2004, Photo: © Ron Steemers

10
Saskia Diez
Black Lace Cape, 2011, Photo: © Oliver Spies


11
Philippe Decrauzat
Peripheral Vision, 2009, Photo: Stefan Altenburger, © Sammlung Museum Haus Konstruktiv, Z¸rich


12
Nicolas Le Moigne
PODIUM black vases, Courtesy: HELMRINDERKNECHT contemporary design gallery, Berlin, Photo: © www.tonatiuh.ch

13
J¸rgen Mayer H.
Dupli.Casa, 2005-2008, Photo: © David Franck

14
Anita Moser
Rorschachstiefel, 2007, Photo: fxjaggy/u.romito, © ZHdK