Make a Card. Build a House.
You are invited to contribute to a work of art.

In the summer of 2018, thousands throughout the community will decorate cards for a monumental House of Cards that will serve as the entrance to the exhibition Serious Play: Design in Midcentury America, on view at the Milwaukee Art Museum September 28, 2018–January 6, 2019. Community organizations, schools, businesses, senior centers, arts organizations, book clubs—diverse audiences everywhere are invited to gather together, collaborate, and use their creativity to decorate cards. The House of Cards, originally developed by twentieth-century designers Charles and Ray Eames, will be reimagined by area residents, who will have the opportunity to design blank cards that will be used in a construction at the Museum.

Tell me about the exhibition we’re making these cards for.

The exhibition is Serious Play: Design in Midcentury America.

Visitors to the exhibition will discover how playfulness served as a vital catalyst for creativity and innovation within mid-twentieth-century American design. Co-organized by the Milwaukee Art Museum and the Denver Art Museum, Serious Play presents more than 200 works and immersive settings, organized into three major themes:

• The American Home
  Following World War II, American homeowners could afford to accumulate more goods and were swept up in a DIY culture; architects and designers were happy to help Americans by suggesting new and interesting ways to decorate their homes.
• Designing for Children
  Smaller-scale furniture and toys, in bright colors and with rounded corners, and outdoor play environments were among the items designers created to promote creativity and imagination in young minds.
• Corporate Approaches
  Corporations sought to bring playfulness to their identities and to run ad campaigns that were imaginative and fun-filled.

We’re making cards for a “House of Cards.” What is that?

The House of Cards is a construction set that designers Charles and Ray Eames originally developed in 1952 for the Tennessee-based manufacturer Tigrett Enterprises. The cards have images on them—toys, papers, knickknacks—of objects that interested, inspired, and surrounded the Eameses in their workplace. Six slots around each of the cards make it possible to fit the cards together into modular constructions. Promotional materials at the time suggested that children might use the cards to build miniature worlds in which to play.

Who are Charles and Ray Eames?

Charles and Ray Eames are among the most significant—and playful—designers of the twentieth century. Partners in life and work, this husband-and-wife team had an immeasurable impact upon American design—from the mid-century until today. They worked widely in furniture design, as well as in architecture, filmmaking, and graphics. Serious Play will feature numerous examples of their work, with particular attention paid to their designs for children’s toys and furniture.