The Cooper Hewitt was an excellent museum to visit. Their technology was highly cutting-edge. A great example of this was the pens that were used to interact with various collections, such as the Fragile Beasts collection on the second floor. The tablets in the middle of the exhibit were able to interact with exhibits that you passed, and provide information for each other them alone with allowing you to even design your own furniture pieces such as coffee tables and chairs. Things like this are truly innovative for a museum.
The Fragile Beasts collection was easily my favorite within the entire museum. It was truly captivating how intricate each piece was. It was also really amazing how elements of plant life and animals come together to become one fluid amalgamation of design that is highly detailed. The pieces within this collection are engravings on paper that were mostly done within the 15th through 17th century.
http://www.cooperhewitt.org/channel/fragile-beasts/#jp-carousel-20169
Another exhibit that really struck me was the By the People: Designing a Better America exhibit on the 3rd floor. This collection was dedicated to showing off design in a pragmatic atmosphere; where pieces can be used to help the people of America everywhere, with an emphasis on positive change on impoverished communities. It was truly great to see an exhibit such as this, especially at a museum that is in such close proximity to Harlem and other poorer ares of New York. One piece that I really enjoyed in particular was the ‘Farm Hack Tool’ which is this bicycle fitted with mechanisms on it to essentially make it a man-powered tractor. This is truly innovating because it can provide the use of a tractor without the price of one, or the price of oil for it.
http://www.cooperhewitt.org/channel/by-the-people/#jp-carousel-21587
Lastly, I really enjoyed the Eungie skirt from the Scraps, Fashion, Textiles and Creative Reuse exhibit. It showed off a multitude of clothes and bags that are completely made from reused and repurposed fabric and textiles. It is a truly great concept that could be the future of clothing in a post-industrial world in which so much waste is caused in clothing manufacturing. The Eungie skirt, in my opinion, is really interesting because it reminds me a lot of a quilt, except in this case, it’s wearable!
http://www.cooperhewitt.org/channel/scraps/#jp-carousel-21393
I anticipate visiting again and look forward to seeing what other pieces the Cooper Hewitt will have in the near future.
