For the first DART Book Prize Essay Contest, students in Dr. Anastasia Aukeman’s Integrative Seminar 2: Visual Culture course at Parsons School of Design, in the School of Art and Design History and Theory, submitted their critiques of the Beauty –Cooper Hewitt Design Triennial exhibition. First place for the afternoon section goes to Angela Yang. First place for the morning section as well as runners up will be announced and published in the following weeks.—Peggy Roalf 

WHAT IS BEAUTY? by Angela Yang | The exhibition Beauty – Cooper Hewitt Design Triennial presents more than 250 works by 63 different designers around the theme of beauty. The pieces are organized into seven sections within the show: Extravagant, Ethereal, Transgressive, Intricate, Emergent, Elemental, and Transformative. 

The concept of Transgressive is to alter the standards of beauty, thereby establishing new definitions. It violates the general norm and challenges cultural and moral aspects in an unconventional manner. One designer who embraces this idea is Ana Rajcevic. Her piece Wearable Sculpture,  from  the series ANIMAL: The Other Side of Evolution, challenges the issue of the fine line between humans and animals. The merge between the two species allows the artist to blur conventional standards and create headpieces that have never before been seen, perfectly representing the idea of “transgressive.” The pieces are beautifully made, with harsh lines that evoke a theatrical element. The clean and minimal take on the headpieces resonate elegance. The hunger and need for beauty is evident in these designs because for Rajcevic, simplicity is the new beautiful. Left: Design drawing by Ana Rajcevic

Ethereal can be defined as materials or effects that create light and delicate forms. Two designers who embrace this idea in their work are Tumoas Markunpoika and Sou Fujimoto Architects. Markunpoika’s sculpture titled Cabinet, from Engineering Temporality series can be considered ethereal due to its intricate and exquisite use of welded burnt steel rings to create the form.

The use of common objects as the source materials reveals the uncommon beauty of the design. What remains of the cabinet, after the burning and welding process, is the shell of what used to exist, and it is, according to the artist, “a fragile ghost of its former self.” Photo, below, by Matt Flynn © 2016 Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum

Scale Models, Architecture is Everywhere by Sou Fujimoto Architects presents miniature models of everyday objects, complete with tiny human figures. It is the daintiness of the piece that connects it with the specific theme, “ethereal.” When an individual thinks about beauty, he or she refers to objects or qualities that are aesthetically or visually pleasing. Although this piece cannot be defined as beautiful in that sense, with its inherent irony, it is beautiful in terms of scale and execution. Because of this, it resonate a different, unorthodox type of beauty. 

Beauty,  the Design Triennial exhibition at the Cooper Hewitt proved to be a great success in showing the different ways that beauty can be perceived by different eyes. The designs displayed were absolutely breathtaking. Many of the pieces left their mark on me due to their unconventionality. Due to this, the question, “what is beauty?” has shifted from the general standards into a much fresher and modern approach.

Beauty –Cooper Hewitt Design Triennial continues through August 21, 2016. Info Upcoming public programs include Game Changers: Liz Ogbu on Social Innovation, Tuesday, April 26 at 6:30 pm. Info