A Venture Through the Work and Lives of Ray and Charles Eames

America’s art scene decided to abandon traditional forms of artwork in the first half of the twentieth century, entering a new wave of art known as modernism. In this movement, artists sought to  depict life and contribute to the changes that were occurring. Painters such as Georgia O’Keeffe and Charles Sheeler created pieces that showed simplified images of industry, landscapes, portraiture, and more. They often used a limited color palette, focusing on expressing the behaviors of America at the time. These changes in the art world set up a precedent for mid-century modern art, where simplicity became even more of a focal point in the art scene. 

Throughout the Cold War, mid-century American modernism flourished,emphasizing shape and form amid growing mass-production. Designers were still quite experimental, however, despite the political tensions on the art scene at the time. Ray and Charles Eames were among the most influential designers in mid-century America. The couple were a part of the Good Design movement, which prioritized utility and functionality in product design. They utilized under-used materials and new techniques in their craft, which made many of their works easy to mass-produce and affordable for many Americans. Their work, including furniture, textiles, architecture, photography, and other sculptural pieces, became iconic in the daily lives of Americans, both in corporate and household spaces.

Ray and Charles Eames married in 1941 after having met while attending Cranbrook Academy of Art. They began collaborating on furniture design, focusing on three important qualities: functionality, affordability, and modernity. Living in Los Angeles following school, they worked separate jobs in different industries– film and journaling. Although working other careers, Charles was still chasing experiments ongoing from his education.

Charles was interested in the use of molded plywood, which he had used in past collaborations with other artists. He failed many experiments, but found success when he was given access to technology from the U.S Navy after signing a contract to help design leg splints for soldiers. After this project, he found inspiration to create furniture design. Applying this functional exploration, Charles and Ray were able to solve a lot of manufacturing problems with their furniture designs. They marketed themselves as having easy-to-make furniture, which is why their pieces are seen in so many homes or public spaces today. Their first well known project was the Eames Chair Wood Model, which was produced and sold to many Americans. This chair design led onto their ventures into other types of furniture and even textile designs that used minimalistic patterns and shapes. 

Plywood was a common material in their work, as it was strong but not heavy. Molding the plywood was a major element of their work that was patented and called the “Eames process.” In a construction letter to an engineer friend in 1954, Charles describes the process of making the molded plywood as placing “sheets of veneer between heated plates bonded with a thermosetting resin.” The chair is assembled with rubber mounts with metal screw inserts. Ray and Charles preferred to keep materials raw and ‘honest,’ as they often said, usually applying stains to enhance the wood’s natural grain rather than cover it with paint. Continuing with plywood, they moved onto systems of storage, such as cabinets and cases, as well as accompanying furniture that fitted a similar aesthetic to the original molded plywood chair. 

In 1948, Ray and Charles collaborated with Herman Miller, who was already selling their furniture designs, and created a collection. This collection was targeted toward some corporate office spaces as well as living rooms. Among this collection was the Herman Miller and Eames Lounge Chair, which are two recognizable and popular pieces of furniture in American history. Additionally, they contributed a seating unit design made of molded fiber glass to the Moma’s International Competition for Low Cost Furniture Design. Co-winner of the second place prize, it was another picture of modernity, using plastic molding to create a unique organic shape.

Their lesser iconic, but still widely known, work surrounded architecture and film. Their most famous architectural projects were the Case Study Houses, which they built during America’s housing shortage after World War II. These houses were designed to reflect the location they were built in and the future owner, speaking to visual characteristics associated with the war. They focused on preserving foliage, integrating the designs into natural spaces, and minimizing material waste. These houses spoke to modularity and modernity, much like their furniture. Ray and Charles built their own home, known as Case Study House #8, which is open to the public to visit today. 

In another large project, they developed a film called Glimpses of the U.S.A, which was shown in a national exhibition in Moscow. The film transitions between showing pictures from outer space that move higher on the screen into early morning aerial shots of landscapes like deserts, mountains, and neighborhoods. The film shows very little traces of human life until Eames centers on domestic living. Small daily moments of people living in their homes and taking care of their children are included. Despite Ray and Charles Eames being well known for their impact on furniture designs and mass production, this film still connects to their core beliefs. Between videos and photographs from nature to people making their breakfast, “the film emphasized universal emotions, while at the same time it unambiguously reinforced the materials abundance of one country” (Colomina, Enclosed by Images: The Eameses’ Multimedia Architecture, 13) Although it appears like everyone is living the same lives– work, home, spending money– there is still more substance than what appears to an outside perspective. Eames beautifully balances what is considered a typical American life with the diversity that is sometimes forgotten. 

In their next film from 1972 called Design Q&A, Charles Eames answers a series of questions about design through a voiceover of images showing various subjects like landscapes and architectural spaces, people doing tasks, and textures and details of materials. This wasn’t just a Q&A session, but an expression of Eames’ ideas and intentions as a designer. The answers were short and to the point. When asked whether design is an expression of art, Charles responds, “I would rather say it’s an expression of purpose. It may, if it is good enough, later be judged as art” (0:33-0:44). Compared to their furniture and architectural works, the films that Ray and Charles made took a very philosophical approach to design and provided commentary on consumerism, daily life, and America. 

Collaborating across different disciplines in art and design, Ray and Charles Eames were an influential pair in America amidst the Cold War and rise of American mid-century modernism. They contributed iconic furniture designs seen in many home and office spaces and expanded into architectural projects. Their films gave many people a sense of the changing industrial technologies and the rise of larger corporations, mass production, and daily living in the U.S.A.

(Cover Image: Eames Herman Miller Lounge Chair via Herman Miller)