scandinavian design & the US, 1890-1980

2022-3
LACMA
Photography: Yoshihiro Makino

Bestor Architecture created the visual language and exhibition design for Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s (LACMA) Scandinavian Design and the United States, 1890-1980, the first exhibition to examine the extensive design exchanges between the United States and the Nordic countries of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden.

The exhibition considers Scandinavian design’s enduring impact on American culture, as well as the United States’ influence on Scandinavian Design, over nearly 100 years of cultural exchange. It features over 175 captivating examples of furniture, industrial design, textiles, ceramics, glass, metalwork, jewelry and lighting drawn from LACMA’s collection as well as American and Nordic museums and private collections.

The goal of the exhibit design was to create zones that showcase the work of each architect, but also demonstrate specific areas where their designs and process intersect. Our team’s solution was to design scrims of colors and shapes often represented in their work, temporary walls in the same color scheme, and identifiable color zones on the floor. Scrims, tables, platforms, and displays were custom designed and built specifically for the exhibit.