Be Original Americas: Originality Deconstructed exhibition celebrates creativity by pulling back the curtain on the “how” and “why” of some of the international design industry’s most iconic products, demystifying what goes into their conception.

Commemorating Be Original Americas’ 10th anniversary and held during Modernism Week 2023, the showcase incorporates physical designs, disassembled elements, raw materials, and videos by Be Original Americas members Anglepoise, Bernhardt Design, Carl Hansen & Søn, Herman Miller, Fritz Hansen, Georg Jensen, Menu, Ligne Roset, Lumens, and Phase Design. The exhibition is being mounted by independent design writer and curator Adrian Madlener.

By uncovering the various facets of manufacturing, the exhibition will allow visitors to better understand issues surrounding sustainability—how materials are sourced and processed—and the challenges that come with ensuring the authenticity of a design. Brands are increasingly confronted with the new realities of the digital marketplace, the positive and negative effects of constant exposure. What skill sets, approaches, and apparatus can be harnessed to help promote originality among contemporary designers and entrepreneurs?

The capsule, vignette-style exhibition will be accentuated by a series of videos, providing even more insight into what goes on behind the scenes. Overall, the Be Original Originality Deconstructed exhibition will uncover how leading industry players consider every step of their proprietary processes.