Review
Breaking Convention:
Modernism
Museum Mount Dora (3MD)
by Stephanie D’Ercole
Tucked away between shops and restaurants
in a sleepy town 30 miles north of Orlando,
sits the Modernism Museum Mount Dora.
Comprised of a relatively small, single-room
gallery space which mimics the quaintness of
the rest of Mount Dora, the Modernism Museum packs quite a bit of history, art, and design
into the modest space. The current exhibition,
esherick to NAKASHIMA, introduces the
work of American woodworker and furniture
maker, George Nakashima, and juxtaposes it
with the works of previously exhibited sculptor and furniture designer Wharton Esherick.
Particularly enamored with the works of Nakashima, I admired the way he wanted to
honor the organic material sacrificed for his
creations. The juxtaposition of regimented geometry with the natural, free edges of wood
perfectly symbolizes the harmony and balance
of Japanese culture. Out of a desire to connect
with his Japanese heritage and create works
inspired by the understanding of his familial
roots, Nakashima wrote, “I longed to find and
touch the creative roots of tradition, to trace
my fingers through the white sand and feel its
essence, to focus on a tree and experience its
meaning, to join its karma, its destiny, with
An admirer of design myself–particularly grav- mine in order to search out the reason why
itating toward iconic designs like Eames chairs my people look on nature with reverence as
and Noguchi coffee tables–I was a bit remiss as they do.”
a mid-century design enthusiast having never
heard of either name. Ready to sate the hunger Echoing this Japanese concept of harmony
to expand my modernist palate, I dug into the and simplicity, and channeling the rebellious
exhibition. While the majority of the works spirit of the Modernist movement, I’m breakecho the “form follows function” sentiment ing journalistic conventions and responding to
of modernist designers, woodblock prints, and esherick to NAKASHIMA with a series of
Spiral Staircase by Wharton Esherick, sculptures as art objects are also included in original haiku poems.
image provided by 3MD the collection.
Spiral Library Ladder and Library Ladders by Wharton Esherick
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