Women and design: a room of their own

On the eve of International Women's Day, the Mies van der Rohe Pavilion is hosting the inauguration of the intervention A Room of One's Own. This exhibition, which alludes to Virginia Woolf's famous essay A Room of One's Own, proposes a reflection on the female presence in the history of design and the fundamental role of women as creators and thinkers in this field.

Through this intervention, the pavilion becomes a space of advocacy for contemporary women designers, with the work of ten current artists who have created furniture and objects inspired by the legacy of ten pioneering women in design. Eileen Gray , Lilly Reich , Anni Albers , Aino Aalto , Charlotte Perriand , Eva Zeisel , Lina Bo Bardi , Franca Helg , Andrée Putman and Maria Pergay . These historical figures played an essential role in the development of design, but have often been overshadowed by the dominant male figure. The contemporary authors participating in this exhibition are Carla Cascales , Ines Sistiaga , Jana Tothill , Sanna Volker , Marria Pratts , Laura Molina , Mago Hart , Si.atelier , Mariadela Araujo and Rosa Cortiella . Each of them has created a unique piece that pays homage to the work and legacy of these pioneering women, while adapting their vision to the needs and sensibilities of current design. This exercise, which integrates history with contemporaneity, highlights how design can be a tool to recognize, reinterpret and claim the invisible contributions of women in the history of art and design.

© Anna Mas

At the opening of the intervention, on February 28, journalist Ariadna Rousaud moderated a conversation with representatives of the Galeria Il·lacions , who have been key in the materialization of this exhibition, and with the authors of the pieces. This conversation allowed us to learn about the creative process of the designers and their reflections on the presence of women in design.

Also presented was the documentary project Transnational Narratives, a documentary celebrating South Asian women in architecture. Directed by Igea Troiani , Mamuna Iqbal and Paula Roush , this project has been promoted by the fourth Lilly Reich Fellowship for Equality in Architecture. This documentary aims to give a voice to South Asian women and recognize their influence in the world of architecture, another field where women have struggled to find their space.

© Anna Mas

A Room of One's Own is, therefore, an exhibition that not only vindicates the female figure in design, but also opens a space for dialogue about the diverse contributions that women have made and continue to make in fields traditionally dominated by men. With its innovative and reflective perspective, this intervention demonstrates that women have their own space in the world of design, and that this space is in constant evolution and growth.

© Anna Mas