Annual Report 2007
IDSA Design History Section
December 31, 2007
Carroll Gantz, FIDSA, Chair, Vicki Matranga, H/IDSA, Vice Chair
FORMATION
The Design History Section was formed in 2001, as a formalization of the previous IDSA History & Archives Committee. Its mission is to:
A) Provide membership with continuing awareness of design history.
B) Provide membership with design history informational resource lists.
C) Encourage members to contribute personal design history and materials to archival sources and selected personal stories to Section for publication.
D) Encourage growth of an IDSA Design History Professional Interest Section.
MEMBERSHIP
As of August, 2007, there were 320 IDSA members who chose the Design History Section as being of professional interest to them. We welcome these members and urge them to communicate their ideas, suggestions, proposals for design history projects and proposals for design history breakout sessions at the annual conference (the latter need to be submitted before March).
NEW OFFICERS
In January, Vicki Matranga, H/IDSA, was appointed to replace Roger Funk, FIDSA, as Section Vice Chair, and she will remain in this position in 2008. Matranga consults with museums and design firms on the history and promotion of industrial design, and is a consultant design program coordinator of the International Housewares Association (IHA). Her primary role there since 1992 has been the conception and organization of the Design Oasis exhibit at the annual International Housewares Show, and the inception and annual organization of the IHA student housewares design competition. She has a BA in the history of architecture and art from the University of Illinois at Chicago, and a Master of Management/Marketing from Northwestern University. As a design consultant, she has organized and curated a number of design exhibits in museums, such as “Ohio’s Artful Appliances—Roasting and Toasting and Chilling and Grilling” (2004-Ohio Arts Council). She has written the book, America at Home: A Celebration of Twentieth Century Housewares (1997-National Housewares Manufacturers Association), and conducted design research for other books such as Toledo Designs for a Modern America: The Alliance of Art and Industry (2002, Toledo Museum of Art). She has served as a talking head for a number of television programs as an authority on the history of appliances.
In November, Bret H. Smith, IDSA, was selected to replace Carroll Gantz, FIDSA, as Section Chair in 2008. Gantz served in this position since the Section was organized in 2001, and will continue to write articles on design history for IDSA. Smith holds a BS in Industrial Education and Industrial technology, an MA in industrial design and an MA in English—all from Purdue University. He is a full professor at Auburn University (having taught there since 1985), has been a member of the Industrial Design Graduate Curriculum Committee for 17 years, has served as Acting Head of the Department of Industrial Design Head and has served as faculty advisor for the Student Chapter of IDSA at Auburn. He has served IDSA as Southern District VP, as a member of the Executive Council and Board of Directors, a member of the Publication Committee for Innovation, and chaired an IDSA Membership Development Committee Task Force on Education. He has had several books published, written numerous professional articles and has lectured extensively. Smith collected an oral history of the industrial design profession by interviewing and video taping distinguished designers. He has interviewed 28 industrial designers and collected over 100 hours of videotape. His multimedia oral history of those who have helped shape the profession, “Design Voices,” has been presented at IDSA annual conferences and Icsid conferences, and he has produced special video presentations on a number of his oral history subjects and their accomplishments at IDSA and Icsid conferences.
COMMUNICATIONS
All but a handful (about 9) of our DH members have e-mail addresses, so communication is primarily through e-mail, the IDSA web site, and the Design History Section web-site, although regular mail is used where necessary. Larry Hoffer of IDSA staff sends broadcast e-mail to all Design Section History Section members when requested by the DH Section Chair.
PROJECT REPORTS
Innovation articlesThe Winter 2006 issue published DH Chair Carroll Gantz’s article in memory of Tucker Madawick, FIDSA (1918-2006).
The Fall 2007 issue published the first of a new series of Gantz’s articles, A Look Back. This one on the origin of the IDEA Awards in 1980.
The Winter 2007 issue will publish Gantz’s A Look Back article on Copco, OXO, and Sam Farber..
IDSA website
Since 1996, DH Chair Gantz has submitted monthly articles to a regular design history feature on the IDSA website, “100 Years of Design.”
The feature, 100 Years of Design, now includes about 65 illustrated products over the 20th century, and 65 biographies and photos of well-known deceased industrial designers.
In 2004, a new feature listing members of the Academy of Fellows was added to the IDSA website. Since then, DH Chair Gantz has added 100 of their biographies and photos. Please check it out, and notify the Section Chair if you have bio information or photos of any Fellows without such details.
Design History Website
The Design History Section website went online in June 2002, thanks to DHS member and webmaster Shea Tillman, IDSA. Since October 2006, Kevin Hegel of IDSA's staff has acted as webmaster for the IDSA and DH websites.
Annual Conference Breakout Session
In October, Design History Section members Vicki Matranga and Bret Smith teamed up with the SAGE Working Group to organize a “Living Legends” reception/session at the CONNECTING’07 conference in San Francisco where design history DVDs featuring Paul Specht, FIDSA; Dana Mox, FIDSA; Alex Bally, FIDSA; Tim Cunningham, FIDSA; Budd Steinhilber, FIDSA; and others were shown. Smith also videotaped interviews with Chuck Pelly, FIDSA and Jim Lesko, L/IDSA.
Designer Cards
Designer Cards
There are still about 300 sets remaining and available at the national office.They make great giveaways to employees and clients. Cost is $10 per set, $5 for students. Check out a sample right here on the Design History Section website.
Section Budget Support
In February, IDSA’s Section budget reimbursed project expenses of $1,276 for digital video camera, recorder and related equipment, to be used for interviewing and archiving well-known designers. In August, DH Chair Gantz submitted a Section budget for 2008. In April, the DH Section Chair urged IDSA to make a charitable donation of $2,500 to the Schenectady Museum for the acquisition of a unique collection of General Electric industrial design archives of over 10,000 photos from a private collector who acquired it from GE files from Bridgeport, CT. IDSA agreed and made this important contribution to preserve design history. Any Section members with design history projects may submit budget proposals to the DH Section Chair before June 1, 2008, for funding consideration in 2009.
Donations to Design History Section
There are no member dues allocated to specific Sections. Your choice of this Section indicates professional interest in our efforts to document and preserve industrial design history, and your donations for Section projects would still be highly appreciated. Send checks to IDSA, Attention: Design Foundation, and note on the check that it is to be allocated for Design History Section projects.
Donations to Design History Section
There are no IDSA member dues allocated to specific Sections. Member choice of this Section indicates professional interest in our efforts to document and preserve industrial design history. Your donations for Section projects would still be highly appreciated. Send checks to IDSA, Attention: Design Foundation, 45195 Business Court, Suite 250, Dulles, VA 20166-6717and note on the check that it is to be allocated for Design History Section projects.