Max Bill's View of Things - Die gute Form: An Exhibition 1949

The international touring exhibition "Die gute Form" was conceived by Max Bill on behalf of the Swiss Werkbund and was shown for the first time in 1949 at the Basel Mustermesse trade fair. The exhibition consisted of 80 display panels, designed by Bill, presenting a selection of consumer goods from all over the world, chosen by Bill as examples of good design. The show caused some upset in Switzerland and fuelled heated debates abroad. But it also exerted a wide-reaching influence - for example, upon the way in which consumer goods were perceived. This publication documents Bill's initiative in reproductions of the original display panels and layout plans for the venues visited by the exhibition, and places "Die gute Form" in a theoretical context that considers its reception and impact within the history of design.With essays by Max Bill, Jakob Bill, Claude Lichtenstein, Renate Menzi and Deyan Sudjic.

About the author

CLAUDE LICHTENSTEIN, born 1949, is a curator, lecturer, and author. 1985 2002 he was a curator at Museum fu r Gestaltung Zu rich. Since 2002, he has been working as an independent exhibition curator

Summary

The international touring exhibition "Die gute Form" was conceived by Max Bill on behalf of the Swiss Werkbund and was shown for the first time in 1949 at the Basel Mustermesse trade fair. The exhibition consisted of 80 display panels, designed by Bill, presenting a selection of consumer goods from all over the world, chosen by Bill as examples of good design. The show caused some upset in Switzerland and fuelled heated debates abroad. But it also exerted a wide-reaching influence – for example, upon the way in which consumer goods were perceived. This publication documents Bill’s initiative in reproductions of the original display panels and layout plans for the venues visited by the exhibition, and places "Die gute Form" in a theoretical context that considers its reception and impact within the history of design.

With essays by Max Bill, Jakob Bill, Claude Lichtenstein, Renate Menzi and Deyan Sudjic.

Product details

• Authors: Lars Muller, Museum fuer Gestaltung Zuerich
• Assisted by: Claude Lichtenstein (Editor), Lars Müller (Editor), Museum für Gestaltung Zürich (Editor), Museum für Gestaltung Zürich (Editor), Museum für Gestaltung Zürich (Co-editor)
• Publisher: Lars Müller Publishers, Zürich
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 01.11.2014
• EAN: 9783037783726
• ISBN: 978-3-0-3778372-6
• No. of pages: 160
• Dimensions: 212 mm x 298 mm x 2 mm
• Weight: 878 g
• Illustrations: 107 Abb.
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Art > Interior design, design; Kunst, Bill, Max, Swissness, entdecken, Switzerland