Monday, September 29, 2014

Museum of Design Atlanta (MODA) - A Photo Tour

Saturday I visited MODA - the Museum of Design Atlanta.  This museum is located on Peachtree Street across from the High Museum.   It is a small museum on the ground floor of a building that also houses a branch of the Atlanta Public Library.  You enter the museum through the gift shop, with an education display showing 3-D printers at work making models.  There is a hallway and two gallery rooms in the museum.  The current display is about 100 years of design, and features posters, book catalogs, and vintage advertising.  I am very interested in children's book illustration and Mid-Century advertising, so I found this exhibit fascinating!
This photo shows portraits of early 1900's artists including Louis Comfort Tiffany and Charles Dana Gibson.  A Windsor chair is part of the exhibit, and there is an interesting early photo showing Windsor chairs on display.
This 1967 Children's Book Exhibit Catalog was illustrated by Andy Warhol.
This 1966 Children's Book Show Catalog was illustrated by Tomi Ungerer.
This Call for Entries: Children's Books brochure was illustrated by Luncina Wakefield in 1950.
This 1965 Children's Book Show invitation is so bright and colorful.  The style of illustration looks familiar, but I cannot place the artist.
This 1951 AIGA Journal was illustrated by Feodor Rojankovsky, a frequent Little Golden Book illustrator.
There is a portrait of Charles and Ray Eames, with a quote about Modernism in design.
This piece was one of my favorite features of the exhibit.  It includes paperback book covers from 1961.
This 1955 poster promotes Disneyland.  I love the juxtaposition of the homespun design (with buttons!) promoting a fantasy world for children.
This 1965 poster promotes popular television.  Note that The Andy Griffith Show and The Dick Van Dyke Show are prominently featured.
I love this retro inspired poster of a woman with "paint by number" style deer illustration.
This 1939 New York World's Fair poster was stunning in person!   I love anything related to a World's Fair or exposition.
This Bob Dylan poster was also amazing in person.
There was an area where you could make your own design, and of course I tried my hand at making a simple layout.
The exhibits at the museum rotate frequently, and I intend to look for upcoming shows and visit again. I highly recommend a trip to MODA for anyone interested in design.