New Intersections: Form and Meaning in Design

"New Intersections: Form and Meaning in Design," the current exhibit in the Brooks Stevens Gallery at MIAD is, as it intends to be, completely fun and very provocative. Broadly covering six different approaches to product design, the exhibit highlights items from the 1930s through the present day. While some objects on display, like the Sanyo Phonosphere (a '70s record player shaped like a ball) stand out as remarkable and unusual design examples, most seem less obvious-at least at first. The bulk of the objects are very familiar household items like blenders, irons, telephones and kitchen gadgets, prompting an epiphany about how we view everyday items.