Existing comment:
MHT's ground-breaking exterior demanded equally-innovative exhibitions inside. Benjamin Lawless, who came to the Smithsonian in 1954, brought state-of-the-art technique and a dash of showmanship to the Institution's exhibitions.
Inspired by the pioneering designs of Charles and Ray Eames, especially the Eames/Saarinen IBM pavilion at the 1964 World's Fair, Lawless "staged" his exhibitions -- they had storylines, scripts, theatrical flair, and playfulness. Colorful silk-screened images and labels, audio, film, video, and even tastes and smells, brought them to life.
Shown here is an example of Lawless's early work with curator Margaret Brown to modernize Gowns of the First Ladies. His playful storyboards for one of the Museum's exhibit films are displayed in the adjacent case. |