Juliet Kinchin

Over the course of the past century, the kitchen, more than any other room in the modern dwelling, has been the focus of intensive aesthetic and technological innovation. Historically, European and American kitchens were often drab, poorly ventilated, and hidden from view in a basement or annexe. Towards the end of the 19th century, however, the kitchen became a central concern of modernism and a testing ground for new materials and technologies. Since then, the room has come to articulate and at times actively challenge societys relationships to food, consumerism, the domestic role of women, and even international politics. Counter Space examines the 20th-century transformation of the kitchen through the collection of The Museum of Modern Art, featuring a wide variety of design objects, architectural plans, posters, archival photographs and artworks ranging from the iconic Frankfurt Kitchen, massproduced for German public housing estates in the aftermath ofWorldWar I, to an electric kettle, heat-resistant glassware and colourful plastics.With an introductory essay by Juliet Kinchin, this volume is a lively introduction to the kitchen as a barometer of changing technology, aesthetics and ideology.

How motor vehicles reshaped the way people lived, worked and played in the 20th century, and their enduring influence on the built environment Drawing on the wealth of automobile-related design, art and architecture in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art, Automania takes an in-depth look at an industrial object that changed the world. From its first appearance as a plaything for the rich in the 1890s to its establishment as a utilitarian necessity of modern life, the car has transformed the ways in which we live, work and enjoy ourselves, inspiring countless designers and artists working in various mediums. Some have viewed the automobile as the ultimate expression of technological progress, capable of bringing about widespread economic growth and positive societal change. Others have seen it as the enemy of humanistic values, leading only to rising fatalities and the proliferation of hazardous waste and pollution. But all have recognized it as central to contemporary life, design and culture. Automania traces the rich cultural history of the car while giving pride of place to the ten vehicles in MoMA's collection, which mark pivotal moments in the history of automotive design. These include the Jeep M-38A1 Utility Truck, the Citroën DS 23 Sedan, the Volkswagen Type 1 Sedan, the Fiat 500f City Car, the Cisitalia 202 GT Car, the Ferrari Formula 1 Racing Car 641/2, the Porsche 911 Coupé, the Airstream Bambi Travel Trailer, the Jaguar E-Type Roadster and the Smart Car Coupé.