Maija Isola
Finnish, born 1927
Marimekko
Finland, Helsinki
Silkkikuikka, 1961
Cotton; screenprint
Gift of the Cooper-Hewitt, the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Design 85.63.3

Magnifying Nature: 1960s Printed Textiles

Saturday, March 5, 2011—Sunday, August 21, 2011
Robert and Marlyss White Gallery (281)
Free Exhibition

In the 1960s, top textile design firms such as Heal's of England and Marimekko of Finland sold the most daring, lively and trend-setting patterns. Designers Lucienne Day, Howard Carter, Maija Isola and Marjatta Metsovaara abstracted motifs from the natural world in their bold graphic designs, and employed energetic colors that were infused with youthful energy. "Magnifying Nature" explores these gigantic patterns through a selection of screen-printed textiles from the MIA's collection and examples of clothing from the Goldstein Museum of Design at the University of Minnesota.