Charles and Ray Eames: The Legacy of American Modernism as Inventors and Communicators of Ideas Modern design was born from the marriage of art and industry. The Eames’ legacy was born with their marriage of Charles and Ray Eames. The shape and mould of American Modernism and the idea behind it were largely contributed by the success of Charles and Ray Eames. However, they too, were inspired by the notion of Modernism, the technology that enables them to keep inventing the next thing of the tomorrow. Charles and Ray Eames were not only the product of American Modernism, they are the key players who invented American Modernism. On this occasion, the story of how a design proposition kickstarted the beginning of a golden era that is Charles …show more content…
The aim of the design is to “make the best for the most for the least” and this notion was positively accepted by Herman Miller furniture company, who in turn, provided the platform for the Eames to circulate their design to most Americans. This collection together with Herman Miller becomes the success story of American postwar Modernism, a design that is honest and simple in its use of material, and for the most part, affordable to the common man. When the World War II ended, it was the release of pent up demands of the 5 years of war and previous 10 years of American Great Depression. The Eames line of plywood furniture came in time for the celebration of new design style, where people crave for an intervention in the society. Furthermore, the marketing of Eames furniture justified its unorthodox style, it was something new and fresh for the new society, and at the time, America was ready for a change in mid 1940s. In the decade to follow, Charles and Ray Eames triumphantly become the symbol of the mid-century modernism of America. With the support of Herman Miller, their line of Eames furniture (Fig 5) become an omnipresent part of American culture, even up to the present time. The Eames do not only highlight the formation of mid-century modernism, but also produced elements which denounce contemporary design today. The Eames’ …show more content…
The most recognisable of their work being “Power of Ten” (Fig 9), a film they created for educational purposes in conveying the idea of mathematics and sciences. By starting with a square metre and increasing the zooming of the image by the power of tens, the Eames produced a very powerful and visually captivating informational video, which become one of the most overplayed in schools in United States. Although it was a very dense dizzying video which can only be understood after a few screenings, it was ones that most Americans know and have seen at least once, and it was the most sought after by designers alike. This success elevated the Eames’ status as designer, visualiser and