The Montréal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA) is inviting the public to rediscover its decorative arts and design collection in a reconfigured space aimed to encourage deep reflection on everyday interactions with designed objects.
Spread over the two levels of the Liliane and David M. Stewart Pavilion , the new installation of the collection covers almost 2,000-sq.-m., and brings together some 800 works including silverware, ceramics, jewellery, furniture, textiles, glassware, craft and industrial design objects and over 400 designers, artists, and artisans from around the world. Almost a quarter of these objects are being shown for the first time.
At the centre of this installation, the public will once again be able to see Dale Chihuly’s The Sun (2003). This sculpture, previously installed on the front steps of the museum during the summer, is made up of 1,200 rays of blown glass, and will now shine at the heart of the Liliane and David M. Stewart Pavilion.
The re-installation also features a new space dedicated to silver and metal works produced in Europe and Canada from the 17th to 20th century. This gallery presents a selection of silver pieces from the over 1,000 objects that Canadian politician, Serge Joyal has offered to the MMFA since 1990.
Highlights of the collection aim to shine light on the importance of silversmithing activity in Québec City and Montréal from the late 18th century onwards, represented by master silversmiths Laurent Amiot and Robert Hendery. The collection also traces its expansion in the 1880s under the leadership of the Birks jewellery firm and includes more contemporary works from the 20th century by jewellers Maurice Brault and Walter Schluep.
The new presentation explores the evolution of design from the 15th century to the present day, reflecting the social changes that have occurred during that time period. The main floor focuses on design as a form of cultural expression while the upper level explores the functionality of design.
Twelve themed sections highlight the diversity not only of the objects in the collection but also of their production techniques, ranging from traditional handcrafting to digital fabrication.
The reinstallation spotlights innovations in fields such as well-being, communications, domestic life, office work and transportation. Visitors will have the opportunity to see a rare example of Richard Buckminster Fuller’s prefabricated Dymaxion (1936) bathroom, a Keracolor B1 (1969) large-format spherical television designed by Arthur Bracegirdle, Douglas Ball’s self-contained office capsule dubbed the Clipper CS-1 (1992), and the 10th-anniversary edition of the smart fortwo car (2009), of which only 100 examples were produced.
“This reinstallation aims to foster greater appreciation for design by encouraging reflection on our everyday interactions with designed objects. It reveals how these works—from crafts to industrial design—evolve along with society and help shape our daily lives with ever greater inventiveness and creativity,” said guest curator Rachel Gotlieb. “It also sheds light on the Museum’s collection-building process, highlighting curatorial decisions and cultural considerations that have influenced this comprehensive and remarkable assemblage of decorative arts and design work over time.”
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