MNteractive

If you’re in or travelling to Chicago anytime before January 1, 2007, then you should head on over to the Museum of Contemporary Art to see their feature exhibition Massive Change.

This exhibition focuses on the design and planning of culture and civilization. It is very powerful in its message and it raises many questions about how we view and interact with space and how we live in our world.

When I saw this show in September, I thought out loud, “I always wondered why no one is designing anything really useful. I guess I was wrong.”

A few highlights and observations I made of the show:

1. In one particular room, I loved the overwhelming graphic quality of words/phrases covering every inch of the walls. I didn’t feel the need to read everything. In fact, I took away an appreciation of all the text for its graphic quality and design. Its placement at the beginning of the show is also foreshadowing. It set up a mindset that even in chaos there is order.

2. I enjoyed the interactivity of sound incorporated into the show. In another room, there were boxes suspended from the ceiling that stopped about 8 or 9 feet from the floor. When you walk under one, it starts an audio recording. I loved this simply for the fact that it was information available to me when I asked for it. I hate walking halfway into videos in museums. This presentation solved that problem.

3. The final room of the show includes a series of 2 sides to an argument. For example, one issue talked about designing better food to provide more food worldwide. Each issue has 2 large plexiglass boxes. One is labeled “Yes” and one is labeled “No.” In the middle is a stack of yellow pieces of paper the size of Post-it notes. Viewers are invited to answer the question: “Do you agree?” to each issue by putting a piece of the yellow paper into either the Yes or No box. It’s visually interesting to be surrounded by stark white walls and see 2 clear boxes filled with yellow pieces of paper. In a way, you feel like you’re taking part in the massive change.

4. This show changed my opinion of all the building of condos that is currently happening in Minneapolis and everywhere else. I realized it’s a good thing that it’s happening. By condensing our living space and leaving open spaces for the environment, we can leave a positive imprint on our world.
Check it out. It’s very relevant to today.