I have been wanting to go to the NG Museum for the new exhibits for a while now. They are currently running "Design for the other 90%" and "Da Vinci - The Genius". Both the exhibits are just wonderful.
Design for the other 90% is about design ideas for water, electricity, shelter etc. Since most design is developed for the rich 10% of the world, the remaining 90% get left behind. They are the ones that need it most to make their lives more efficient so that they can then spend time educating themselves or in money generating activities. What I found highly ironic about all the design ideas for them was that all the ideas are sustainable. If, for the poor, so many useful products can be developed that are so incredibly sustainable, then why can't design for the rich 10% head in that direction more vehemently. The rich consume so much more, have so much more and continue to strip nature of everything. While the poor, with barely anything still are so much more respectful of the planet we dwell on.
Design for the other 90% is about design ideas for water, electricity, shelter etc. Since most design is developed for the rich 10% of the world, the remaining 90% get left behind. They are the ones that need it most to make their lives more efficient so that they can then spend time educating themselves or in money generating activities. What I found highly ironic about all the design ideas for them was that all the ideas are sustainable. If, for the poor, so many useful products can be developed that are so incredibly sustainable, then why can't design for the rich 10% head in that direction more vehemently. The rich consume so much more, have so much more and continue to strip nature of everything. While the poor, with barely anything still are so much more respectful of the planet we dwell on.
The other exhibit (this one permitted photography) was on Leonardo Da Vinci and his immense intelligence and contributions to so many different fields - art, music, science, aviation. The exhibit had constructed machines, instruments etc from designs in his writings and sketches. It was pretty cool! I thought his design that set the base for the modern helicopter pretty neat. I loved loved loved his clock! I would love to have a clock like that in my home. There was also detailed analysis of the Mona Lisa, The Last Supper and The Vitruvian Man. The interesting thing about the Mona Lisa is that what we see today is not what he painted. The sky was blue and her skin more buff. With infrared imaging technology we are not able to see what he had painted. Oh also, of interest, Da Vinci had painted the Mona Lisa with eyebrows and eyelashes!!! They are not sure why, over the years, they have disappeared.
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