SAN DIEGO, CA.- Mingei’s exhibition, Inside the Design Center brings to life a vignette of mid-twentieth century interior, lighting, and furniture design, featuring pieces by significant California designers, manufacturers, and craftspeople as selected by Ilse Ruocco for her 1950 showroom.

For Mingei’s Art of the People podcast and blog, guest Curators Dave Hampton, Steve Aldana, and Todd Pitman unwrap this show, their history, and the celebration of mid-twentieth century folk art, craft, and design.

“To be a part of San Diego's small Modernist community in 1950 would have been a little bit demanding, but there was enough of a community that a place like the Design Center could bring everyone to this one location that's still standing—there was just nothing else like it.” — Guest Curator, Dave Hampton

Inside The Design Center directs attention to the innovative work of mid-twentieth century California designers by assembling many of the same pieces that Ilse Ruocco selected to establish her business and considering them within the social and historical context of Ilse and Lloyd Ruocco's overall Design Center project.

“...if you are a San Diegan and you love living in San Diego, you would appreciate what was happening in this building in the 1950s.” — Guest Curator, Todd Pitman

“The idea is to try to recreate this photo in a space where people can move around like they would have in Ilse’s design showroom.” — Guest Curator, Dave Hampton

Exhibition Highlights

• 63 objects including 10+ chairs, 12 tables, 4 lamps, and miscellaneous home decor such as candle holders, cups, flatware sets, and tracery weavings

• Lamps by California designers Greta Grossman, Harry Lawenda, and Gilbert Watrous

• Accessories and tableware by Henrik Van Keppel and Taylor Green, Heath Ceramics of California, imported German porcelain and Italian stainless steel flatware

• Weavings by Eve Gulick

• Seating by Eero Saarinen, Florence Knoll, Jens Risom, Elias Svedberg, Andre Dupre, and Richard Stein (for Knoll Associates) and by California designers Dorothy Schindele and Greta Grossman (from Modern Color), and Charles and Ray Eames

• Tables by George Nakashima and Elias Svedberg for Knoll and by California designers Henrik Van Keppel and Taylor Green (for Van Keppel Green) Luther Conover (for Luther Conover) and Milo Baughman (for Modern Color)