The Essence of Things

Whether planning a piece of furniture, an article of clothing, or a basic utensil, many designers embrace minimalism as a way to achieve rational functionality and elegant aesthetics. The Essence of Things brought together nearly 200 such objects, ranging from humble everyday items such as flip-flops and lip balm to more substantial chairs and lamps. In addition to the objects, photographs and video offered a multi-media window through which to witness the offerings of architecture, fashion, and art created by such design icons as Gerrit Rietveld, Le Corbusier, Charles and Ray Eames, and Shigeru Ban.