Disegno: Selections from the R & Company Archives Collection
What is design? As a noun, design can mean the plan to construct something, the composition of a physical or digital object, or the thing itself; as a verb, it is the action of materializing an idea with intent. Drawings are a crucial part of many creators’ practices, serving purposes as varied as the techniques employed in their making. While some designers don’t draw at all (and might conceptualize with models or build intuitively), others register each step of their progress.
This exhibit showcases highlights from our archives that illustrate the different functions and strategies drawings may serve, made by designers from distinct countries, periods, and backgrounds. By juxtaposing these works, this display reveals unexpected dialogues and comparisons between people who would otherwise not be in the same conversation, yet share a desire to materialize an idea by putting pen to paper.
About the R & Company Library and Archives
The New York based design gallery R & Company holds an important and extensive non-circulating library and archival collection covering the history of art, design, and architecture from the 1900s to the present. The holdings include many rare and out-of-print titles, specializing in international design overviews, period pamphlets, catalogs, photographs, and other rare resources and ephemera. The department is committed to preserving these collections and fostering a dynamic center for research and education surrounding the collections. Researchers are welcome by appointment year-round.
For more information, call 845-758-6822.
Location: Charles P. Stevenson Jr. Library