MOMA's humble masterpieces

MoMA's Humble Masterpieces in Seoul

The Post-it Note, developed by 3M in 1977, is part of the “Humble Masterpieces” exhibit at Hangaram Design Museum, Seoul Arts Center.

/ Courtesy of Hyundai Card

By Cathy Rose A. Garcia
Staff Reporter

What do a pair of chopsticks, a Swiss Army knife, a yellow Post-it note, M&M's chocolates, pasta noodles and Bic ball-point pens have in common?

All of these are everyday objects that despite being imbued with simple, timeless, innovative design, are often overlooked. These ordinary items are shown in a new light at The Museum of Modern Art's (MoMA) ``Humble Masterpieces: Everyday Marvels of Design'' exhibit which is currently in Seoul for the first time.

Held at the Hangaram Design Museum, Seoul Arts Center, the ``Humble Masterpieces'' exhibit shines the spotlight on 100 items which may be modest in size and price but are considered ``true masterpieces of the art of design.''

Paola Antonelli, senior curator of the MoMA's department of architecture and design, said design is ``one of the highest expressions of human creativity.'' She was in charge of the exhibit when it was first presented in New York in 2004.

Antonelli, who was in Seoul for the opening of the exhibit, said the toughest part of the exhibit was choosing which objects would be included.

``The objects that we acquired had to be inexpensive, can be purchased somewhere in the world, and they have to be examples of great design. They had to be elegant, functional, environmentally friendly and all together a good addition to the world. … The difficult part was when to stop (choosing),'' she said.

The exhibit may seem quite modest, with the items placed in a glass case in the middle of the room. Among the objects on display are Lego building blocks, Q-tips ear buds, waffles cones, glass marbles, sugar cubes, Tampax tampons, Chinese take-out boxes, flip-flops and Tupperware.

``The concept of design started with beautiful objects that are outstanding in elegance and function, and designed by a human being. Whether there's a name or not, it doesn't matter. I don't care about the signature,'' Antonelli said.

All of the objects in the exhibit can be found anywhere, but it's the stories behind them that hold one's attention.

One of Antonelli's favorite stories is about the ``I love New York'' logo T-shirt, which just like many objects in the exhibit, came out of necessity.

``It was the 1970s, New York was in a crisis. There was high crime, high unemployment, the city was dirty and tourists were not coming. The mayor was worried and decided to launch an ad campaign. By chance, the advertising company was talking with Milton Glaser, a famous graphic artist, who just wrote on a napkin, `I Heart NY', and it became such a powerful symbol. But what I find as the most beautiful thing of all is that its not limited. People can use it for free all over the world. It's a great example of a symbol that is invented and released out to the world for free,'' she said.

Another surprising story is about how the fortune cookie was invented. Contrary to the common belief that the fortune cookie was a Chinese invention, Antonelli said it was actually created by a Japanese chef in San Francisco in 1914.



Not many are also aware the Chupa Chups lollipop's logo was designed by the candy maker Enric Bernat's friend, the artist Salvador Dali. Or that M&M's chocolate candy, invented by Forrest Mars Sr., was initially a convenient snack for soldiers during World War II.

When asked about the inclusion of numerous Japanese-designed items such as the bamboo whisk or chasen, the Kikkoman soy sauce dispenser and Kadokeshi plastic eraser, Antonelli said the Japanese have a long tradition of outstanding design.

During her short stay in Seoul, she has already seen some beautiful designs at a furniture museum, and even the ``T-money'' subway card caught her attention. She said the MoMA is always open to suggestions for the addition of new items from the Korean audience.

Many of the stories behind the objects can be found in Antonelli's book ``Humble Masterpieces.''

The exhibit, jointly organized by the MoMA, Hyundai Card and Seoul Arts Center, runs through Dec. 31. Admission is free. Hangaram Design Museum is located near Nambu Bus Terminal Subway Line 3, Exit 5.

cathy@koreatimes.co.kr