Paola Antonelli is on a mission to introduce -- and explain -- design to the world. With her shows at New York's Museum of Modern Art, she celebrates design's presence in every part of life.
Why you should listen to her:
Since she stepped back from practicing architecture in order to focus on writing about design, teaching and curating gallery exhibitions, Italian native Paola Antonelli has become a force to be reckoned with in the design world. Working at the Museum of Modern Art in New York since 1994, she now heads up the gallery's Architecture and Design department and has worked on shows such as "Humble Masterpieces," which celebrated traditionally unheralded design icons such as the paperclip; "Safe," considering issues of protection, and "Workspheres," a look at contemporary workplace design.
Ever mindful that the majority of visitors to MOMA are attracted by artists such as Picasso and Matisse, Antonelli works to ensure that if they do stumble across a design-related show, they'll be both entertained and enlightened. Her latest book is Exit to Tomorrow: World's Fair Architecture, Design, Fashion 1933-2005.
"Paola Antonelli’s goal is to insistently promote design’s understanding, until its positive influence on the world is fully acknowledged."World Technology Network
Blog Posts on TED
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Porco awarded, Antonelli promoted – January 17, 2008
TED speaker Paola Antonelli (watch her TED 2007 talk) has been promoted to senior curator of the New York Museum of Modern Art's department of architecture and design. The promotion was announced by MoMA's director Glenn Lowry. Paola is currently preparing "Design and the Elastic Mind", an exhibition on science, design and innovation that will open at MoMA on February 24. Carolyn Porco, leader of the imaging team for the Cassini space mission to Saturn and the opening speaker at TED 2007 (watch her talk), will be the recipient of this year's Isaac Asimov Science Award, given by American Humanist Association. Porco will receive the award in June in Washington. To both, congratulations! More
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Design as art: Paola Antonelli on TED.com – January 15, 2008
Paola Antonelli, design curator at New York's MOMA, wants to spread an appreciation of design, in all shapes and forms -- and to remove any stigma of it being considered mere decoration. She leads a quick tour of some design exhibitions she has organized, including "Mutant Materials," "Workspheres" and "Safe." (Recorded March 2007 in Monterey, California. Duration: 18:11.)
Watch Paola Antonelli's talk on TED.com, where you can download it, rate it, comment on it and find other talks and performances.
Read more about Paola Antonelli on TED.com.
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