Russel Wright

October 06, 2007 - January 20, 2008

Russel Wright

Living with Good Design

October 06, 2007 - January 20, 2008

Living with Good Design

Russel Wright (1904-1976) is widely regarded as one of America's preeminent industrial designers. In the 1940s and '50s his name was known to nearly every American homemaker. Wright's designs and concepts for a new, relaxed style of living transformed a generation of Americans following World War II. A quarter of a billion pieces of his dinnerware design known as "American Modern" were produced and sold between 1939 and 1959, making it the most widely produced of its kind in history.

During his lifetime, Wright's innovative designs for housewares, furniture, appliances, and fabrics were featured in museum exhibitions and collections. Russel Wright believed that good design was for everyone. Millions of Americans grew up with Wright designs in their homes. The exhibition is organized in approximate chronological order to provide visitors with a view of Wright's sequence of design evolution.

Selection of spun aluminum accessories designed and produced by Russel Wright in the 1930s.

Photo by Masca, courtesy Manitoga, Inc./Russel Wright Design Center.

Lounge Chair: Conant-Ball American Modern Adjustable Chair designed by Russel Wright in 1935.

Collection of William Straus, New York, NY. Photo by Simon Russell, courtesy of the Decorative Arts Center of Ohio.

Residential line of plastic ware, shown in salmon. Winner of the Museum of Modern Art’s Good Design Award in 1953, it was the best selling dinnerware in the US in 1957.

Photo by Masca, courtesy Manitoga, Inc./Russel Wright Design Center.

Vignette: Statton Easier Living Chair and Double Drop Leaf Dining Table designed by Russel in 1950. Accessories designed by Russel Wright.

Collection of William Straus, New York, NY. Photo by Simon Russell, courtesy of the Decorative Arts Center of Ohio.

Selection of water pitchers from the American Modern line, the most widely recognized Wright design, in production from 1939 to 1959.

Photo by Masca, courtesy Manitoga, Inc./Russel Wright Design Center.

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Selection of spun aluminum accessories designed and produced by Russel Wright in the 1930s.

Photo by Masca, courtesy Manitoga, Inc./Russel Wright Design Center.

Lounge Chair: Conant-Ball American Modern Adjustable Chair designed by Russel Wright in 1935.

Collection of William Straus, New York, NY. Photo by Simon Russell, courtesy of the Decorative Arts Center of Ohio.

Residential line of plastic ware, shown in salmon. Winner of the Museum of Modern Art’s Good Design Award in 1953, it was the best selling dinnerware in the US in 1957.

Photo by Masca, courtesy Manitoga, Inc./Russel Wright Design Center.

Vignette: Statton Easier Living Chair and Double Drop Leaf Dining Table designed by Russel in 1950. Accessories designed by Russel Wright.

Collection of William Straus, New York, NY. Photo by Simon Russell, courtesy of the Decorative Arts Center of Ohio.

Selection of water pitchers from the American Modern line, the most widely recognized Wright design, in production from 1939 to 1959.

Photo by Masca, courtesy Manitoga, Inc./Russel Wright Design Center.

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Exhibition Credits

Exhibition and national tour organized by Arts Midwest and the Decorative Arts Center of Ohio and made possible through a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts as a part of the American Masterpieces program. Additional support provided by the Ohio Art Council, a state agency that supports public programs. This local showing is made possible through the generous support of Charles Simonyi Fund for Arts and Sciences and the Guendolen Carkeek Plestcheeff Fund for the Decorative and Design Arts