Casto to present a public lecture in conjunction with the Alexander Girard exhibition reception

Installation View.  Photo credit:  Larry Gawel.
Installation View. Photo credit: Larry Gawel.

Dr. Mary Alice Casto, Assistant Professor in TMFD, will present "`For Modern Living:’ Style and Design in Mid-Century Textiles” on Sunday, June 11th, 2017 at 2:00 p.m. in Room 31, Home Economics Building on east campus. The public lecture will be followed by a reception in the gallery.

In 1948, an exhibition titled, ‘For Modern Living’ opened at the Detroit Institute of Arts featuring a spectrum of everyday designed objects which reflected the growing public appeal of ‘modern’ design. The objects were selected to show, “the result[s] of a good understanding of special individual problem[s]… (Girard, 1949) or in other words, form meets function--a hallmark of modern design. Textile design in the Postwar era reflected this philosophy through experimentation with innovative motifs and color combinations as well as the many new synthetic fibers on the market. The lecture will discuss how designers (such as Alexander Girard) thoughtfully considered function and visual appeal in their design choices. It will also address how the new and ‘modern’ applications of pattern, color, and fiber played a role in fulfilling consumers’ desire to demonstrate ‘good’ taste in their personal appearance and in their homes.