Objects & Us: Why Things Matter is curator and cultural historian Gus Casely-Hayford's account of what made things can tell us about the people who made and used them. Published with the V&A, it reads human history through objects rather than events.
About This Book
Casely-Hayford organises the book around 12 fundamental human needs, and for each one selects objects that answer it—drawn from six centuries and from cultures across the globe. Humble domestic things sit beside extraordinary ones: a carved wooden utensil can share a chapter with a sumptuous silk garment. The argument running through it is that design and craft are not a decorative record laid over history but part of how people have expressed priorities, desires and ways of living. It is a broad, generously illustrated book for anyone interested in material culture, museums and the meaning of everyday things.
Key Features
- Structured around 12 human needs, each explored through a selection of objects
- Objects spanning six centuries and a wide range of global traditions
- Everyday items considered alongside exceptional pieces of craft and design
- Richly illustrated in colour throughout
- Published in association with the V&A
What You'll Discover
- How made objects carry evidence of the histories and values of the societies that produced them
- Why creative work in design and the applied arts is central to what makes us human
- Connections between objects separated by centuries and continents but answering the same needs
- A curator's way of reading things—their materials, uses and meanings
About the Author
Gus Casely-Hayford is a curator and cultural historian and the director of V&A East. He previously led the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art in Washington, DC, and is well known as a lecturer and as a presenter of programs for the BBC and other broadcasters.
Specifications
- Format: Hardcover
- Dimensions: 166 × 240 mm
- Pages: 272
- Language: English
- ISBN: 9780500481226
- Publisher: Thames & Hudson
Perfect For: Readers interested in design history and material culture, museum-goers, students of the applied arts, and anyone curious about why the things we make matter.