As founder, chairman, and CEO of R/GA—the creative agency whose iconic works are as varied as the opening credits of 1978’s Superman to conceiving the Nike+ platform—Bob Greenberg is a pioneer in the advertising and communications industry; his company serving as the digital partner for Fortune 500 companies and world-renowned brands.
Correcting Selectric II, model 895 Typewriter And Typing Elements, 1973 aluminum, steel, molded plastic. Gift of Robert M. Greenberg. 2017-51-18-a/h. This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
As well as being noted as one of the world’s preeminent collectors of Outsider Art, Bob is also a keen admirer of iconic industrial design, and as such serves as guest curator on Bob Greenberg Selects; the latest (and 16th) installation in a series whereby designers, artists, architects, and public figures are called upon to curate pieces from the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum collection.
Showing until September, Bob’s Selects sees Greenberg bringing together 42 innovative works from the museum’s holdings to explore creativity in the modern age—illustrating how technology has propelled design innovations in form, style, and function over the past 65 years. Seeking to emphasise design’s key role in an increasingly connected world, the works are presented in four groupings—Dieter Rams’ Ten Principles for Good Design; Connected Devices; Disruptive Innovations; and Measurement and Calculation—each underscoring how historical objects point to future innovation.
Bringing together iconic design from early telephones and televisions to instant cameras, through the earliest of Apple’s game-changing innovations to futurist technologies like Google Glass and drones, visitors are able download the Bob Greenberg Selects app for free, allowing access state-of-the-art image recognition technology; enabling them to scan photos of objects, which in turn provide nuggets of relevant trivia.
On show in the museum’s Nancy and Edwin Marks Collection Gallery, Bob Greenberg Selects continues until 9 September.
Edison Voicewriter Dictaphone, 1953 cast metal, plastic discs, electronic components. Gift of Unknown Donor. 1996-12-1-a/o. This object was made by Thomas A. Edison Inc. This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
TV8-301 Portable Television, 1959 formed, bent, and enamelled metal, molded glass, molded plastic, electronic… Gift of Hiroko Onoyama. 2013-40-1. This object was made by Sony Corporation. This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
HL1 Desk Fan, 1961 enameled and chrome-plated steel, plastic, acrylic. Gift of Robert M. Greenberg. 2017-51-9.
This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
DynaTAC 8000x Mobile Phone, 1983 molded plastic, mechanical parts. Gift of Robert M. Greenberg. 2017-51-25. This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
Sound Machine Tone Arm Balance (Tonarmwaage), 1962 metal, molded plastic. Gift of Robert M. Greenberg. 2017-51-3. This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
iPhone Mobile Telephone, 2007 molded abs plastic and polycarbonate resin, polished stainless steel. Gift of Roland L. Trope. 2009-29-1. This object was made by Apple Computer, Inc.. This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
Timor Perpetual Calendar, 1967 molded abc plastic, lithographed pvc plastic. Gift of Max and Barbara Pine. 1994-59-2. This object was made by Danese Milano. This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
Google Glass Explorer Edition XE-C 2.0 Optical Display Device, 2013 titanium, plastic, steel, electronic components, led, silicon, liquid.
Gift of Robert M. Greenberg. 2017-51-13-a,b. This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
SX-70 Camera And Case, 1972 polysulfone plastic with a layer of copper-nickel-chromium alloy, applied. Museum purchase through gift of Neil Sellin. 1999-2-2-a,b. This object was made by Polaroid Corporation. This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
FQ02W FQ777 Foldable Selfie Quadcopter Drone With Remote Control, 2017 molded abs plastic, electronic components. Gift of Robert M. Greenberg. 2017-51-14-a,b. This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
ET55 Calculator, 1980 molded abs plastic, electronic components. Gift of George R. Kravis II. 2015-5-4. This object was made by Braun AG. This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
iPod Digital Music Player, 2001 molded plastic, polycarbonate, stainless steel. Gift of David and Kelly Theresa Linton. 2009-49-1. This object was made by Apple Computer, Inc. This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
Model 500 Telephone, 1953 molded plastic, metal, rubber. Transfer from Exhibitions Department. 2009-50-1-a/c. This object was made by Western Electric Manufacturing Company. This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
HLD 4 No. 4416 Hair Dryer, 1970 molded plastic, mechanical parts. Gift of Robert M. Greenberg. 2017-51-23. This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
