When I read the Gray's Auctioneer's article entitled Mid Century Modern, a post modern fad?, I couldn't help but wonder if they were really serious. As with any area of style or collecting, there will obviously be ups and downs. Case in point: just five years ago, anything with Russel Wright's name attributed to it brought top dollar. Today only the rarest of the rare Wright designs bring any real money (there's a doozy of an illustration for this argument available on the internet at the moment, but I think I'll wait to point it out for a little bit). But beyond the ups and downs in the market, I strongly believe that MCM is here to stay. What other movement in the history of industrial design, arts, and crafts has so influenced contemporary design? I will admit I'm biased, but still can't think of any and don't see any up-and-coming influences on design that will outshine Modernism in the near future. What do you think?
Steve Basile commented: Modernism takes many forms. My Mpls bungalow was a modern response to Victorian. Deco/Bauhaus influences followed. Then ramblers, ranches, etc.
Modern is what our generation knows as the response to the old stuff. That old stuff was the modern response to previous old stuff, and on.
Is MCM uniquely "modern?" Timeless? More classic and less fad? Not really. It's just *our* modern. Personally, I prefer pre-war modern. In my mind it's classic and post-war modern at times seems faddish. You'll see a modern timeline across 50 years in coming ceramics library.
Scott commented: I agree, Bill, that the term Midcentury Modern is vague. In general, I define it for myself in two stages. First, I see "Midcentury" as the time period from the mid-1930s through the mid-1960s. "Modern" is as Steve mentioned: a current response to previous ideology ... whether aesthetic, philosophical, sociological, etc. For the most part, I deal with the aesthetics component here on Ars Longa.
The really interesting part of the Gray's auctioneer's link, to me at least, is their inquiry that begins the second sentence: "Will interest in mid century modern design last beyond my generation [baby boomers] or will it be reviled & ridiculed in years to come?"
I think this course of questioning falls apart a little bit when you look at the range of design within the movement: there is good midcentury modern design; and there is bad midcentury modern design. Good design will always have appeal, simply because it successfully solved a particular design problem. This applies to any movement, including -- but not specific to -- Modernism. Because of this success. that design will be appreciated even beyond the life of a particular style.
It is my experience that MCM collectors don't fit nicely into the "baby boomer" box. I personally am just outside the technical definition of the Baby Boomer generation (being born in 1969, I am among the first occupants of "Generation X"), but I see many, many younger collectors and enthusiasts. This reaction is something obviously quite a bit more than simply nostalgia, as the writer at Gray's seems to think. It's a reaction to the good design within an appealing design movement. This is something that can never be reviled.
robert devine commented: Hi Scott,
Its just a wild guess however I just dont see the interest in MCM among the post "baby boomer" era generation as I have seen it among my generation b.1956 yes there are exceptions but? To me and I might be completely off on this I think it has something to do with the internet/pc/video game age IMHO I think that the last truly significant design "edge" was post-modernism/memphis of 1981 right before the introduction of the PC I really do not believe theres been anything mind blowing since and for the most part post modernism appealed to those at the front end of the "baby boomer" bracket I still however feel that iconic designs of any era will survive and become a standard of that time ie: George Nelson ball clock, Nuguchi table or PM Munk Normadie pitcher whereas less significant designs will fall by the wayside and be forgotten Scott let me take a stab at your Russel case in point illustration does it have something to do with wood but not Oceana?? if it is what I think it is that may actually bring real money however you are certainly right when you say that 95% of his designs offered up on the internet today fail to garner even one bid course could be many things lack of interest? economy? combination of both or for other reasons how about reissues? which seem to hurt every original design All the best, robert
robert devine commented: Oppps sorry Scott that was me that said 95% of Russel garners no bids today not you my apologies, robert
Scott commented: I'm not sure I agree completely, Robert. Out of all the Midcentury Modern collectors I know, almost half of them are younger than me. Some by over a decade. People specifically interested in Russel Wright, however, are a different story. At 40 (as of tomorrow, that is), I'm one of the youngest RW collectors I've met.
As far as important design movements after Memphis, that's an interesting point. There haven't been any movements that I think are important, but designers today are less apt to classify themselves in this way than previously ... probably because of globalization. In industrial design, for example, I believe Karim Rashid and Phillipe Starck are both important. I don't think there's a movement surrounding them, but I also believe that movements in design are difficult to classify as they are happening unless there is a conscious effort on the part of the participating designers to brand themselves as such. It will be interesting to see what people in the future say about what we know as "contemporary" design. I'll bet that movements will be defined in hindsight, where there seemingly aren't any to our eyes.
Paul commented: It doesn't really help that Gray's has very limited knowledge and experience with mid-century pieces so I don't know why they would attempt to write an article about MCM
Bill Straus commented: First of all, the term Mid Century Modern, is more than a bit vague, but I don't think any good American modern design is going to be a fad, whether it is Art Deco, Post-War Design, the International Style, or the likes of Eames, Nelson, Wright, just to name a few....what is possibly a fad is all of the decorative styles or decorator chic, more about the look than the real form and design, more about the paint, the glitz, the exageration,need I go on?
Thank you for pointing this out.