New Tretyakov gallery. Krymsky Val 10, West wing. Tue, Wed, Sun 10:00–18:00 Thu, Fri, Sat 10:00–21:00
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THE AGE OF PLASTIC
02.07.2025 — 08.09.2025
Curator: Alexandra Sankova
Exhibition design: Stepan Lukyanov
The Moscow Design Museum and SIBUR invite you to the exhibition "The Age of Plastic", which is taking place in the Perm City Culture Center (15 Pushkin St.).
The exhibition brings together iconic objects by 50 foreign and Russian designers, demonstrating the history and potential of plastic as one of the main materials of the 20th and 21st centuries.
Once, plastic turned the world of design upside down: it became a universal and accessible
material that changed mass production and people's everyday lives. The goal
of the exhibition "The Age of Plastic" is to show not only the evolution of the material, but also the role
it played in the development of modern culture. Using the best examples of
world and Russian design, the exhibition will demonstrate how plastic was embodied in
objects that changed the face of time and became symbols of their eras. Among them are the VEF Spidola radio receiver, the first in the USSR made of plastic and which became a symbol of technical progress in the 1960s, the iconic Panton Chair — the first solid plastic model that defined interior design in the 1970s, and the bright Soviet tumbler toy, which gained mass popularity and became part of the cultural memory of several generations.
The exhibition includes three thematic sections:
The first will tell about the appearance of early synthetic materials — parkesine,
celluloid, bakelite and carbolite. Viewers will see how plastic became a response to the shortage of natural resources, and how the industrial revolution contributed to its wide
dissemination. The exhibits include accessories, furniture fittings, early electronics and household items.
In the second section, the exhibition will present plastic as a symbol of a new way of life: bright
colors, expressive forms, pop art and futurism. Here, viewers will encounter iconic
pieces of furniture (for example, chairs by Finnish designer Eero Aarnio, a typewriter
by Italian architect and designer Ettore Sottas), tableware, lamps,
clothing and accessories that reflect the spirit of the era of bold experiments, the conquest
of space and mass culture.
The final section of the exhibition will be devoted to the environmental challenges of today
and the response to them from designers, architects and manufacturers. The exhibition
will reveal how plastic is given a second life. Among the exhibits are items from Russian
brands Eburet, Recycle Object, Brevno and others.
The exhibition features: 50 foreign and Russian designers and design studios,
including Russian ZNWR, Burkova design, EBURET, Recycle Object, Qullar, Brevno,
Trashback, as well as Kartell (Italy), Muima (Netherlands), EcoBirdy (Belgium), MAGIS
(Italy), VITRA (Switzerland), UAU project (Poland), MiNiMONO (Germany), Polimeer
(Netherlands), Normann Copenhagen (Denmark), Tonin Casa (Italy), Soldi Design (Italy), and
others.
“Plastic has become one of the symbols of the 20th century, and today it is a reason for a deep
conversation about culture, ecology and the future. The exhibition “The Age of Plastic” is not just a retrospective, but a topical dialogue involving designers, researchers and viewers. We are grateful to SIBUR for supporting this important initiative and believing in the power of educational projects!” — Alexandra
Sankova, curator of the exhibition and CEO of the Moscow Design Museum.
“Plastic is part of our lives. Many familiar things are made of this material, and behind each of them there is someone’s idea, experiment or even a
small discovery. The exhibition “The Age of Plastic” is a great opportunity to see how this material changed the world and to think about how we can use it even more wisely and interestingly,” said Elena Snezhko, head of the social investment program “Formula of Good Deeds”.
Free admission
Exhibition design: Stepan Lukyanov
The Moscow Design Museum and SIBUR invite you to the exhibition "The Age of Plastic", which is taking place in the Perm City Culture Center (15 Pushkin St.).
The exhibition brings together iconic objects by 50 foreign and Russian designers, demonstrating the history and potential of plastic as one of the main materials of the 20th and 21st centuries.
Once, plastic turned the world of design upside down: it became a universal and accessible
material that changed mass production and people's everyday lives. The goal
of the exhibition "The Age of Plastic" is to show not only the evolution of the material, but also the role
it played in the development of modern culture. Using the best examples of
world and Russian design, the exhibition will demonstrate how plastic was embodied in
objects that changed the face of time and became symbols of their eras. Among them are the VEF Spidola radio receiver, the first in the USSR made of plastic and which became a symbol of technical progress in the 1960s, the iconic Panton Chair — the first solid plastic model that defined interior design in the 1970s, and the bright Soviet tumbler toy, which gained mass popularity and became part of the cultural memory of several generations.
The exhibition includes three thematic sections:
The first will tell about the appearance of early synthetic materials — parkesine,
celluloid, bakelite and carbolite. Viewers will see how plastic became a response to the shortage of natural resources, and how the industrial revolution contributed to its wide
dissemination. The exhibits include accessories, furniture fittings, early electronics and household items.
In the second section, the exhibition will present plastic as a symbol of a new way of life: bright
colors, expressive forms, pop art and futurism. Here, viewers will encounter iconic
pieces of furniture (for example, chairs by Finnish designer Eero Aarnio, a typewriter
by Italian architect and designer Ettore Sottas), tableware, lamps,
clothing and accessories that reflect the spirit of the era of bold experiments, the conquest
of space and mass culture.
The final section of the exhibition will be devoted to the environmental challenges of today
and the response to them from designers, architects and manufacturers. The exhibition
will reveal how plastic is given a second life. Among the exhibits are items from Russian
brands Eburet, Recycle Object, Brevno and others.
The exhibition features: 50 foreign and Russian designers and design studios,
including Russian ZNWR, Burkova design, EBURET, Recycle Object, Qullar, Brevno,
Trashback, as well as Kartell (Italy), Muima (Netherlands), EcoBirdy (Belgium), MAGIS
(Italy), VITRA (Switzerland), UAU project (Poland), MiNiMONO (Germany), Polimeer
(Netherlands), Normann Copenhagen (Denmark), Tonin Casa (Italy), Soldi Design (Italy), and
others.
“Plastic has become one of the symbols of the 20th century, and today it is a reason for a deep
conversation about culture, ecology and the future. The exhibition “The Age of Plastic” is not just a retrospective, but a topical dialogue involving designers, researchers and viewers. We are grateful to SIBUR for supporting this important initiative and believing in the power of educational projects!” — Alexandra
Sankova, curator of the exhibition and CEO of the Moscow Design Museum.
“Plastic is part of our lives. Many familiar things are made of this material, and behind each of them there is someone’s idea, experiment or even a
small discovery. The exhibition “The Age of Plastic” is a great opportunity to see how this material changed the world and to think about how we can use it even more wisely and interestingly,” said Elena Snezhko, head of the social investment program “Formula of Good Deeds”.
Free admission