The polit­ics of memory: (in)visib­il­ity of women design­ers and gender minor­it­ies

Archives of design in French-speak­ing Switzer­land

Reflect­ing on design archives in French-speak­ing Switzer­land has led the museum to ques­tion the repres­ent­a­tion of women and gender minor­it­ies among design­ers, both as creat­ors and sources of inspir­a­tion, in its collec­tions and beyond. Until the early 2000s, few women and gender minor­it­ies featured in the museum’s collec­tions, partic­u­larly in the fields of indus­trial design and graphic design. In contrast, they are much more prom­in­ent in contem­por­ary jewellery, high­light­ing the gendered dimen­sion of the works held by mudac.

The project Spir­its. Excel­lent for the Head, presen­ted at Milan Design Week 2023 and recently added to the museum’s collec­tion, offers a posit­ive response to this issue. Designed by students in the MA in Space and Commu­nic­a­tion programme at HEAD – Genève, this project celeb­rates the work of women design­ers through a series of glasses and cock­tails, paying trib­ute to figures such as Ray Kaiser-Eames, Sophie Taeuber-Arp, and Eileen Gray, who have long been over­looked in the history of design. Although the project does not focus specific­ally on women design­ers in French-speak­ing Switzer­land, it does illus­trate how recent initi­at­ives in the region are draw­ing on the work of women design­ers to create new narrat­ives, under­lin­ing the import­ance of preserving their herit­age within the local territ­ory.

his raises ques­tions about the role of French-speak­ing Switzer­land’s design archives in preserving the work of these design­ers for future gener­a­tions. How can effect­ive strategies be developed to identify, docu­ment, and preserve their contri­bu­tions in the museum collec­tion? But also, what are the design­ers’ own thoughts on the situ­ation, as the main people involved? In this way, the museum wants to open up a discus­sion on the profiles of the people whose work it conserves and promotes, with a view to correct­ing any bias in its acquis­i­tion and exhib­i­tion policy.

This article is part of a series of six themes explored through­out the Archives du Design Romand exhib­i­tion, presen­ted at mudac from 13.09.2024 to 09.02.2025. This labor­at­ory-exhib­i­tion is accom­pan­ied by a rich and varied program, includ­ing confer­ences, round tables, and work­shops.

Emile Demerliac & Victoria Jospin, E-1027, A Tribute to Eileen Gray, 2023. Projet Spirits. Excellent for the head

© Raphaël Lugassy

Adèle Guilbault & Lovena Vedrine, Kaffa, A Tribute to Magdelene Odundo, 2023. Projet Spirits. Excellent for the head

© Raphaël Lugassy

Noee Zahavy and Carla-Marie Savaris, Else, A Tribute to Valentine Schlegel, 2023. Projet Spirits. Excellent for the head

© Raphaël Lugassy