Four Corners Exhibition (curation)

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Four Corners Exhibition (curation)

In 2012 I collaborated with Royce Epstein, who is now Director of the Design Segment at Mohawk Group, on Four Corners: Design from Philly Surrounds, an exhibition that took place during DesignPhiladelphia. Conceptualized as a contemporary period room, the furniture, lighting, and objects in the show were all conceived, designed, fabricated, and/or produced by designers and companies based in Philadelphia and its immediate surrounds.

The objects in the exhibition acted out a visual dialogue between Philadelphia design giants such as Florence Knoll, Anne Tyng, and George Nakashima, and new and emerging talents, including Jaime Salm of MIO Culture, Jesse Gerard of Carrot Grant, and Jeanine Hays of AphroChic. We handpicked 50 objects — furniture, lighting, textiles, wallpaper, toys, tabletop, electronics, and art — by 50 designers and artists.

The objects’ stories are ones of heritage, craft, manufacturing, and innovation. The exhibition was an avenue into Philadelphia’s design identity and, along with a panel also held during DesignPhiladelphia, provided a spectrum of answers to the complicated question: What is Philadelphia design today?