Travelling exhibitions between past and present: Dialogue with the curator of A Designed Life

Abstract

From the point of view of both curators, architects and designers, the challenges presented by travelling exhibitions are as unique as they are complex. As such, this interview with Peggy Re wants to give voice to her insights, gained during her curatorial experience with the exhibition A Designed Life: Contemporary American Textiles, Wallpapers and Containers & Packaging, 1951-1954, not only toward the historical retrospective of three showcases organized by the U.S. Traveling Exhibition Service between 1951 and 1954, but also in consideration of today design practice. We will explore how, throughout its historical evolution, the design of travelling exhibitions has always intersected with issues related to identity, soft power, technology, manufacturing and the relationship with the public.