Selling the American Dream: MoMA, Industrial Design and Post-War France

Download files
Access & Terms of Use
open access
Altmetric
Abstract
This archival investigation uses as a case study the Museum of Modern Art’s “50 Years of American Art” (1955) to assess the role of MoMA and the U.S. Government in promoting American industrial design within France during the cold war. The author asserts that these powerful institutions came to view such wares as a vital means of quelling growing fears of American cultural homogenization within France. The paper investigates how through “50 Years of American Art” the exhibition organizers sought to build support for an American way of life enhanced by a merger between some of the nation’s leading creative talents and its vast technological might. Fostering the development of markets and a new identity and desire for such goods within France represented a parallel mission of these institutions.
Persistent link to this record
DOI
Link to Open Access Version
Additional Link
Author(s)
McDonald, Gay
Supervisor(s)
Creator(s)
Editor(s)
Translator(s)
Curator(s)
Designer(s)
Arranger(s)
Composer(s)
Recordist(s)
Conference Proceedings Editor(s)
Other Contributor(s)
Corporate/Industry Contributor(s)
Publication Year
2004
Resource Type
Journal Article
Degree Type
Files
download jdh_paper_final.pdf 243.3 KB Adobe Portable Document Format
Related dataset(s)