Kitchen Design
So they have this exhibition at MoMa which I think I would be delighted to go to during winter break. The name of the exhibition is "Counter Space: Design and the Modern Kitchen". The exhibition shows a kitchen from a 1926–27 design by the architect Grete Schütte-Lihotzky.It was built after WWI to have accommodated thousands of kitchens in Germany's public housing. In my opinion, I think the design looks clean, simple, and organized. Perhaps this was because of the budget Germany had at the time from the war. The most interesting part of the article to me is the last paragraph. "Prominence is given to the contribution of women throughout the exhibition, not only as the primary consumers and users of the domestic kitchen, but also as reformers, architects, designers, and as artists who have critically addressed kitchen culture and myths." This holds very true to me in so many ways. I't's obviously sexist to think that the kitchen is a "woman's place", but unfortunately it's been a place that many women have been forced if not limited to. I do think that the purpose of this exhibition sheds a sort of optimistic light of women and the kitchen. Personally in my household my mom loves cooking, and the kitchen is her kingdom so to speak. If anyone dare move anything, it wouldn't be without the permission of my mother. However, I never looked at my kitchen as the product of my mother's art. I've never thought the rows of different spices, all serving their own purposes as art. I've never looked at the mortar and pestle that lay beneath the dried mangoes, and spiced pickles as art either. Reading this article, I now look at my own kitchen differently, shaped by our own culture, and by mother's hands. The article also touches upon how the kitchen reflects the culture of the time, now a days things are more modern, more square, more stainless and sleek. Here are some pictures from this blog I found: http://www.calfinder.com/blog/kitchen-remodel/kitchens-through-the-ages/ . Look at these pictures, and try to think about the reflections of the time they hold.
4 comments:
A very interesting read! The woman is Queen of the kitchen! In the past, that was a woman's laire and a woman's pride...it was the only place in which the woman had total control, and I guess it still is today, eventhough most women are career driven now.
You made me think of my kitchen as my mom's artwork now. Just like you, I never realized that my kitchen was designed, architected by my mom. All of the appliances (toaster, microwaves, stove) were placed strategically by her, were placed where it would bring her the most comfort while she's cooking. I never realized that the aromas of her cooking/baking were actually her in the process of making the art come to life. My mom works very hard in the kitchen and this new perspective of it as art, gives her greater power. This is awesome! You never fail to show that art truly is all around us, even in the most inconspicuous ways.
i agree with Annie...back then the kitchen was the place for a women to be...now a days things are sooo different....my kitchen looks more like the 80s still lol...considering my parents moved to America in the 80s they didn't seem to change it...when i grow older and have my own house i'm gunna have my kitchen to be more modern... =)
I absolutely love your blog. Its so cute and the one post that stood out to me the most was the one about kitchens. I completely agree with you, about the idea that the kitchen is said to be the "woman's place" I think that its wrong to put a label on people and say that its THEIR place. In my opinion, some woman can't even cook lol so THEIR place wont necessarily be the kitchen lol because they'd hate it. But now, i feel that more woman like to call it their place because there are so many ways of decorating it and making it comfy for yourself that they take pride in it.
I also love the way the kitchen designs progressed. They went from simple and colorful to more sharp and sleek.
AWESOME POST!
I love the designs too, but for some reason the modern ones look to cold and squarish to me. I think the 90's one is my favorite-it just looks so warm and humble.
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