Opening events, 1983-1984

Kathryn Hiesinger, Curator of Decorative Arts after 1700, organized an comprehensive survey of design from 1945 to 1983 featuring over 400 objects ranging from furniture and lighting to metalwork and plastics that were produced for mass consumption in the wake of World War II. This exhibition examined both the design process and the vital role that these objects play in every day life. Best Products Company, Inc., The Pew Memorial Trust, and the National Endowment for the Humanities provided generous grants in support of the exhibition. Further support for the accompanying catalogue was provided by the Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies, COLLAB: The Contemporary Design Group, and the Design Arts program of the National Endowment for the Arts.