a display structure and reader designed for wendy’s subway reading room at moma.
1 – axonometric of table. a freestanding structure for reading and display.
2 – the table initiates an interaction with publications that connect to work installed in other parts of the museum.
3 – an abstract background to the activities of the creativity lab. (image credit: wendy's subway)
4 – each publications is given its own fixed book end on the table to place it in the collection of selected books. (image credit: wendy's subway)
presented by wendy’s subway in moma’s creativity lab in conjunction with the the people’s studio: collective imagination, the reading room is a collection of publications that rotates with moma’s changing exhibition program in order to draw new parallels between artworks and books.
for the reading room common room developed a material and graphic organization that focused the collaborative practices of making and circulation of independent publications. a long freestanding table structure for reading and displaying, meeting and engaging is installed in moma’s creativity lab. the reading table is a minimal powder coated anthracite grey steel structure. the steel frame is reduced to the minimum structure required to support itself and the displayed publications. referencing the library card catalogue tables of past, the table is standing height to allow for browsing through the publications. the table acts as an abstract background to the activities of the creativity lab, as a frame and a stage for the book collection. each publications is given its own fixed book end on the table to place it in the collection of selected books and at the same time to present it as a unique publication.
the reader and directory for the reading room was developed as an evolving on-site publication, which gathers quotes, excerpts, and fragments selected by a range of contributors. each publications in the collection was accompanied by a bookmark providing detailed information about the publication.