Shaping the 20th Century: The Lives and Work of Charles and Ray Eames

FAIN: GN-50673-05

Catticus Corporation (Berkeley, CA 94710-2597)
Bill Jersey (Project Director: March 2005 to June 2006)

Consultation with filmmakers and scholars for a television documentary on American industrial designers Charles and Ray Eames and their impact on visual vernacular culture in 20th-century America.

Shaping the 20th Century: The Lives and Work of Charles and Ray Eames is a program for PBS on the eclectic American design giants. The husband and wife team of Charles and Ray Eames made its mark on architecture, furniture design, film, exhibitions, multimedia and more. They are called the most important American designers of the 20th century and their influence on the visual vernacular of the modern era is immeasurable. This program will tell their story in the context of their interesting times. More importantly, the documentary will engage the ideas that animated their work - ideas about quality, the relationship between work and play, and the power of good design and effective communication to improve individual lives and society.