Curator Polina Angelova opened the half-day symposium bringing together leading curators and designers to publicly debate, critique and re-consider how design canons are formed. 

What constitutes a design-historical canon? Why are certain histories represented in museums and others excluded? How do we select objects, people, and events to become part of design history if women and designers, particularly those of African, Asian and South American origin, have been overlooked, and excluded, from design history for decades?

A panel of curators explored what a design canon means for the 21st century and the criteria for collecting design in museums today. The panel also discussed aspects of canon and its relevance for today in the context of the exhibition ‘Re-Considering Canon’.

The panels included Dr Danah Abdulla (Brunel University, London), Allan Collins (Brooksbank & Collins), Frederico Duarte, Alex Hull (Hull Studio), Corinna Gardner (Victoria & Albert Museum), Donna Loveday (former Head of Exhibitions and Head of Curatorial at the Design Museum), Rita Patel (The Aram Gallery), Sam Pratt and Valerio Capo (Gallery FUMI), Jana Scholze, Tim Simpson (Glithero), Debika Ray (Clove Magazine).

This event was part of the Reconsidering Canon exhibition and was in collaboration with the MA Curating Contemporary Design at Kingston School of Art.