A substance conquers the world

At the beginning of the 20th century, an extraordinary material began to change the everyday world and the world of design: plastic. Whether it was in the form of Bakelite, Formica, Plexiglas, celluloid or nylon - the almost inexhaustible possibilities of the new material opened up untold freedoms for designers.
With more than 5,000 objects, the Koelsch Collection is known worldwide as the largest private collection of plastic design objects. In this exhibition, 420 of the collection’s finest and most beautiful pieces are presented. The highlight of the exhibition is a group of 89 historic radio sets that illustrate the international development of taste and the zeitgeist over more than eight decades.

Plastic design – mirroring national traits

Castable and mouldable plastics did more than just mirror changing fashions and styles; for the knowing observer, they also referenced national events or achievements. A radio from Russia recalls the shape of a Sputnik satellite, while an American radio is modelled on what was then the tallest building in the world: the Chrysler Building. Even the cultural identity of a country can be read from its plastic objects: French radio designers delighted in the decorative and the theatrical. In contrast, Japanese plastics from the 1990s come across as rather futuristic, while product design from Germany primarily presents a stark and purist aspect.

The Koelsch Collection – the world's largest private collection

For over 50 years, the architect and collector Hans Ulrich Kölsch has been acquiring plastic design objects, creating a unique archaeology of 20th century design and its social aesthetics.

 © Film by Manuel Eglhofer: an interview with the collector Hans Ulrich Kölsch

Exhibition

© Exhibition concept: The exhibition concept is based on the exhibition "Designobjekte aus Kunststoff" (Plastic Design Objects) from 2014/15, developed by Susanne Flesche for the Kunsthaus Kaufbeuren.

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