Cooper Hewitt

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Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum is the only museum in the nation devoted exclusively to historic and contemporary design

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As the first Black American designer to receive the Museum of Modern Art’s Good Design award, A. Joel Robinson was decla...
02/06/2025

As the first Black American designer to receive the Museum of Modern Art’s Good Design award, A. Joel Robinson was declared “one of the most promising newcomers in the highly competitive field of fabric design” by Ebony Magazine in 1952. His award-winning fabrics were produced by L. Anton Maix Fabrics. 🔴🟡

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Textile, Roman Candles, 1951; Designed by A. Joel Robinson; USA; Linen. This object is part of Cooper Hewitt’s permanent collection and is not currently on view.

New on the Cooper Hewitt blog! ➡️ Explore the printmaking process—from artist sketch to engraved sheet—in 16th-century E...
02/04/2025

New on the Cooper Hewitt blog! ➡️ Explore the printmaking process—from artist sketch to engraved sheet—in 16th-century Europe.

Explore the printmaking process—from artist sketch to engraved sheet—in 16th-century Europe.

The Tillett Cold Wax System was one of the techniques Jack Lenor Larsen covered in detail in his 1969 book, “The Dyer’s ...
02/04/2025

The Tillett Cold Wax System was one of the techniques Jack Lenor Larsen covered in detail in his 1969 book, “The Dyer’s Art.” Leslie Tillett explained, “I began serious research on a screen-printable resist material about three years after arriving in this country in 1947… I was after a formula or substance that would easily print through a conventional screen, would dry quickly (but not before five minutes as it would clog the screen), and above all would resist dye and pigment overlays.” Through his interest in ceramic decoration, he came across Mobilcer A, a cold liquid wax used by ceramists as a resist against overglazes. A paraffin wax/ petroleum blend, the compound met his needs in every way.

To create this tablecloth and napkins, the Mobilcer A was applied through a silkscreen. Ink was hand-applied over the wax with a drag box, with the color bands overlapping to give a subtle, irregular stripe of charcoal and black. While the crackle effect associated with traditional wax batik does not occur, bubbles could form, an effect showcased in the striped border. 🎣

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Tablecloth And Napkins, Fish, 1950–59; Designed by D.D. Tillett, Leslie Tillett; USA; Linen. This object is part of Cooper Hewitt’s permanent collection and is not currently on view.

Althea McNish was one of the first Black women designers to receive international recognition for her achievements in de...
02/03/2025

Althea McNish was one of the first Black women designers to receive international recognition for her achievements in design. Her textile “Golden Harvest” (pictured here), marks the beginning of a remarkable career for an under-recognized pioneer of 20th century textile design.

Learn more about McNish: https://s.si.edu/3t4diPs

Althea McNish (1924–2020) was one of the first Black women designers to receive international recognition for her achievements in design. Her textile Golden Harvest marks the beginning of a remarkable career for an under-recognized pioneer of 20th-century textile design.

A groovy sidewall for your Sunday morning. ☮️ Credited with bringing pure, vivid color to wallpaper, Woodson Wallpapers ...
02/02/2025

A groovy sidewall for your Sunday morning. ☮️ Credited with bringing pure, vivid color to wallpaper, Woodson Wallpapers upended the trend of pastel colors for walls—like with this vibrant paisley pattern, which would bring an effervescent energy to any interior.

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Sidewall, Malabar, 1968–69; Manufactured by Woodson Wallpapers, Inc.; USA. This object is part of Cooper Hewitt’s permanent collection and is not currently on view.

Shoutout to dogs painted on objects—easily one of our favorite genres. 🐾__Box, ca. 1770; England. This object is part of...
02/01/2025

Shoutout to dogs painted on objects—easily one of our favorite genres. 🐾

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Box, ca. 1770; England. This object is part of Cooper Hewitt's permanent collection and is not currently on view.

Plaid five ways. ✋__1. Blanket, 1875–1950; Unknown artist; Wool2. Drawing, early 20th century; Designed for Wiener Werks...
01/31/2025

Plaid five ways. ✋

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1. Blanket, 1875–1950; Unknown artist; Wool
2. Drawing, early 20th century; Designed for Wiener Werkstätte; Brush and watercolor, gouache; Austria
3. Textile, 1935–37; Designed by Dorothy Liebes; Cotton, silk, viscose rayon, wool; USA
4. Textile, 1959; Designed by Kjeld Juul-Hansen; Wool; USA
5. Textile, 1930–39; Designed by Donald Deskey; Linen; USA

These objects are part of Cooper Hewitt's permanent collection and are not currently on view.

Happy  ! 🐍 We’re ushering in the Year of the Wood Snake with this 1990s print from our New York City neighbor, The Bronx...
01/29/2025

Happy ! 🐍 We’re ushering in the Year of the Wood Snake with this 1990s print from our New York City neighbor, The Bronx Zoo.

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Poster, Snake—The Bronx Zoo; Screenprint on white paper; USA. This object is part of Cooper Hewitt’s permanent collection and is not currently on view.

Cooper Hewitt is thrilled to announce the winners of the 2025  ! 🏆Launched in 2000 as an official project of the White H...
01/28/2025

Cooper Hewitt is thrilled to announce the winners of the 2025 ! 🏆

Launched in 2000 as an official project of the White House Millennium Council, the National Design Awards and its associated public programs seek to increase national awareness of the impact of design in everyday life.

Now in their 25th year, the National Design Awards have evolved and adapted over time but stayed true to core Smithsonian values of innovation and civic service.
These winners are recognized for the innovation and impact of their work across the design fields:

•Design Visionary: Kim Hastreiter
•Climate Action: ilumiNACIÓN by Resilient Power Puerto Rico
•Emerging Designer: Nu Goteh
•Architecture: Michael Maltzan Architecture
•Communication Design: Matt Willey
•Digital Design: Emerging Objects
•Fashion Design: Melitta Baumeister
•Interior Design: Little Wing Lee
•Landscape Architecture: TERREMOTO
•Product Design: Jules Sherman

Click here to learn more: https://s.si.edu/42yct4X
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Special thanks to this year's jury, which was chaired by Maurice D. Cox, the Emma Bloomberg Professor in Residence of Urban Planning and Design at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, and included Miren Arzalluz, director of Palais Galliera, Musée de la Mode de Paris and recently appointed director general of the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao; Gail Bichler, creative director of The New York Times Magazine; Carson Chan, director of the Emilio Ambasz Institute for the Joint Study of the Built and Natural Environment at the Museum of Modern Art; Llisa Demetrios, chief curator of the Eames Institute of Infinite Curiosity; Michelle Millar Fisher, the Ronald C. and Anita L. Wornick Curator of Contemporary Decorative Arts at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; and designer Fernando Laposse.

If these dreary winter days have been getting you down, here’s a bright wallpaper to lift your mood. The design, called ...
01/27/2025

If these dreary winter days have been getting you down, here’s a bright wallpaper to lift your mood. The design, called “Life Savers,” was created by designer and architect Alan Buchsbaum and hit the interiors market in the early 1970s. It features intense yellow circles (which resemble Life Savers candies) tightly aligned in a polka dot fashion. 🟡

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Wallpaper, Life Savers, 1970–75; Designed by Alan Buchsbaum for Norton Blumenthal, New York, NY; USA. This object is part of Cooper Hewitt’s permanent collection and is not currently on view.

Neutral tones and subtle pattern define this mid-century Scandinavian wallpaper. Large, airy blossoms of Queen Anne’s la...
01/22/2025

Neutral tones and subtle pattern define this mid-century Scandinavian wallpaper. Large, airy blossoms of Queen Anne’s lace float like fluffy fireworks on a light gray ground. The larger blooms are composed of hundreds of tiny white flowers supported by a framework of dark gray stems. As in nature, a single bright red flower marks the center of each stem.

As Scandinavian textile design gained prominence, Nordic wallpaper manufacturers also became popular in international markets. The region became known for producing paper with unobtrusive yet modern patterns. Grayscale designs like Queen Anne’s Lace were in high demand, as they provided a versatile backdrop against which more ostentatious furnishings and artwork could be displayed. The Danish designer of Queen Anne’s Lace, Bent Karlby, was a trained architect, and produced a number of wallpaper patterns drawing upon traditional Scandinavian folk art depictions of plant-life. These nature-inspired patterns found particular favor with patrons in the United States, and were imported with great frequency during the 1950s.

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Sidewall, Queen Anne's Lace; 1948–55; Designed by Bent Karlby; Manufactured by Goteborgs Tapetfabrik; Sweden. This object is part of Cooper Hewitt’s permanent collection and is not currently on view.

Flipping through some scrapbook pages this  . Swipe to see them all. ➡️__1-2, 4. Scrapbook, 1920–30; Silk; France3. Scra...
01/22/2025

Flipping through some scrapbook pages this . Swipe to see them all. ➡️

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1-2, 4. Scrapbook, 1920–30; Silk; France
3. Scrapbook of textile and ribbon swatches, 1900–15; USA

These objects are part of Cooper Hewitt's permanent collection and are not currently on view.

Both the aesthetic and the working methods of the Bauhaus weavers have strongly influenced Harriet Wallace-Jones and Emm...
01/18/2025

Both the aesthetic and the working methods of the Bauhaus weavers have strongly influenced Harriet Wallace-Jones and Emma Sewell. They keep traditional dobby looms in their London studio, Wallace Sewell, which they use to work out their ideas. All of their products, however, are woven on power looms. Wallace-Jones and Sewell are inspired by the capabilities and the limitations of traditional weaving and have a broad range of skills for translating their hand-woven ideas into industrial techniques to maximize efficiency at the mill. Combining a fascination for woven structure, an intuitive understanding of yarn properties, and a masterful color sense, Wallace Sewell creates such a variety of colors and textures within each fabric that each one feels bespoke.

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Blanket, Merton, 2012; Designed by Wallace Sewell; Wool; England. This object is part of Cooper Hewitt’s permanent collection and is not currently on view.

Christina Malman capturing the spirit of New York City in the winter with this illustration created for Life Magazine in...
01/12/2025

Christina Malman capturing the spirit of New York City in the winter with this illustration created for Life Magazine in 1956. 🗽

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Drawing, Scene in Rockefeller Plaza, 1956; Designed by Christina Malman; Client: Life Magazine; USA; colored chalk, graphite on gray paper. This object is part of Cooper Hewitt's permanent collection and is not currently on view.

🤲💡__Lamp, 1976; Designed by Richard Etts; Plaster. This object is part of Cooper Hewitt's permanent collection and is no...
01/11/2025

🤲💡

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Lamp, 1976; Designed by Richard Etts; Plaster. This object is part of Cooper Hewitt's permanent collection and is not currently on view.

Figuring out your weekend plans? Stop by Cooper Hewitt to experience our latest exhibition, “Making Home—Smithsonian Des...
01/10/2025

Figuring out your weekend plans? Stop by Cooper Hewitt to experience our latest exhibition, “Making Home—Smithsonian Design Triennial.” A full takeover of the museum’s Andrew and Louise Carnegie Mansion, the show features 25 debut commissions that explore design’s role in shaping the physical and emotional realities of home across the United States, U.S. territories, and Tribal Nations. 🏡

Plan your visit: https://s.si.edu/3xeOSTM

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1. Terrol Dew Johnson and Aranda\Lasch, “We:sic 'em ki: (Everybody’s Home)”
2. PIN-UP, “Dream Homes”
3. Hugh Hayden, Davóne Tines, Zack Winokur, “Living Room, Orlean, Virginia”
4. William Scott, “Praise Frisco: Resurrection by Design”
5. Curry J. Hackett and Wayside Studio, “So That You All Won’t Forget: Speculations on a Black Home in Rural Virginia”
6. After Oceanic Built Environments Lab and Leong Leong Architecture, “Hālau Kūkulu Hawaiʻi: A Home That Builds Multitudes”
7. Sofía Gallisá Muriente, Natalia Lassalle-Morillo, and Carlos Soto, “Unruly Subjects”

Photos by Nikola Bradonjic © The Smithsonian Institution

01/09/2025

High school students—we have a question (and an opportunity) for you! ⬇️

What would you design to help everyone feel at home in your community?

The 2025 National High School Design Competition challenges students to use design to help everyone feel at home in their communities. Think about small tweaks that can improve daily life or larger changes that can have a broad impact. Draw on your unique experiences and knowledge of your community—whether it’s your neighborhood, school, social group, or another element of your life. You might address topics like comfort, unstable housing, environmental impacts, or accessibility. Consider various design approaches, including architecture, urban planning, user interface design, fashion, product design, and more.

The competition is open to all high school students in grades 9 through 12, or who are homeschooled students working toward a high school degree anywhere in the United States.

Click the link to learn more and get started on your entry! The deadline to submit is February 10: https://s.si.edu/34BeEbP

🏙️__Sidewall, Metropolis, 1951; Designed by Mildred C. McNutt; USA. This object is part of Cooper Hewitt’s permanent col...
01/08/2025

🏙️

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Sidewall, Metropolis, 1951; Designed by Mildred C. McNutt; USA. This object is part of Cooper Hewitt’s permanent collection and is not currently on view.

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