NOV 15 – OPENING RECEPTION: BODIES: SAIC Intro to Designed Objects

BODIES: SAIC Intro to Designed Objects
November 15, 2019 – February 16, 2020
Opening Reception: Friday, November 15, 2019 at 5:30 PM. Free and open to the public. RSVP required.

Join us for the opening reception of BODIES: SAIC Intro to Designed Objects. Free and open to the public. Beverages provided by our sponsors; alcohol served to 21+. Museum is located at 1524 N Lake Shore Drive, Chicago IL. Accessible entrance, ramps and elevator are available.

“The landscape of designed objects is vast and constantly shifting: technically, culturally, politically and contextually. Not only are objects being designed for mass manufacture, but are also being designed to ask questions.” – Megan Euker, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Architecture, Interior Architecture and Designed Objects Program

During the Fall 2017 and 2018 semesters, students in Megan Euker’s Intro to Designed Objects class at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago created works in response to a single word prompt: “Bodies.” Using the collections at the International Museum of Surgical Science for inspiration, students began identifying medical or bodily constraints that could be alleviated through a specifically designed assistive device. Through a process of in-depth research and prototype testing, students created preliminary designs intended to increase accessibility, promote healthy behaviors, create comfort and improve safety. After consulting with medical professionals and undergoing critiques, they modified their ideas and remade their objects at full scale.

These designed objects create a social impact by making it easier for all kinds of bodies to move through the world. They also spark new questions: what mental and physical constraints do our bodies place on us all? What are the best uses of designed objects in the fields of health, medicine, and surgery? And how do you design your own environment to fit your day-to-day needs? Works in this exhibition explore these fundamental ideas of ability and the body.

Curated by Megan Euker

Participating Artists:
Bona Chun, 2021
Royce Cottingham, 2021
Luisa De Silva Milmo, 2021
Trevor Miller Hormel, 2021
Shengxun Lin, 2020
Dara Oramas, 2020
Riley Pruitt, 2021
Leyi (Angela) Song, 2021
Crasianne Tirado, 2021