tuesday, december 13th, 6-8 pm, claudia cassidy theater, 2nd floor, chicago cultural center
please join tim parsons and jessica charlesworth in conversation with zoë ryan, john h. bryan chair and curator of architecture and design at the art institute of chicago, and writer lee ann norman exploring the nature of their independent design practice parsons & charlesworth and discussing questions raised by their exhibition spectacular vernacular.

about spectacular vernacular
showing three distinct aspects of parsons & charlesworth’s creative practice – observation, experimentation, and speculation – across the three galleries of the chicago rooms, the exhibition reveals how they mix our craft and industrial design backgrounds with influences from fiction, science and the arts. their approach explores the rhetorical, as well as the practical opportunities of designed objects, attempting to encourage a broadening of the traditional definition of the designer’s role. in doing so, they wish to make the case for independent design practice as a critical response and essential adjunct to the corporate design world. throughout the development of the exhibition,they have been in conversation with writer lee ann norman. lee ann has authored an essay about our practice, which is available to read in the exhibition and available via their website. spectacular vernacular is presented by the chicago cultural center and the city of chicago department of cultural affairs and special events (dcase).