“There is design in everything,” wrote Clara Porset, the innovative Cuban-Mexican designer. She believed that craft and industry could inspire each other, forging an alternative path for modern design. Not all of Porset’s colleagues agreed with her conviction. The MoMA exhibition “Crafting Modernity: Design in Latin America, 1940–1980” presents these sometimes conflicting visions of modernity proposed by designers of home environments in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Venezuela between 1940 and 1980. For some, design was an evolution of local and Indigenous craft traditions, leading to an approach that combined centuries-old artisanal techniques with machine-based methods. For others, design responded to market conditions and local tastes, and was based on available technologies and industrial processes. In this exhibition, objects including furniture, appliances, posters, textiles, and ceramics, as well as a selection of photographs and paintings, will explore these tensions.

Join us on the Parsons School of Design campus for this evening that aims to enrich the exhibition visitor's experience by featuring presentations from six esteemed members of the curatorial advisory committee. Each participant will be invited to deliver a brief presentation directly related to objects showcased in the exhibition and the overarching themes explored within it. Following the individual presentations, our presenters will convene for a panel discussion facilitated by Ana Elena Mallet, guest curator; with Amanda Forment, Curatorial Assistant, Department of Architecture and Design, MoMA and Parsons alumna.

Presenters include:

-Cecilia Loschiavo (Brazil) 
-Livia Debane ( Brazil) 
-Rodrigo Vera (Chile) 
-Wustavo Quiroga (Argentina)
-Cesar Peña (Colombia) 
-Jorge Rivas (Venezuela)