The objects displayed in the exhibition address the spectrum of human fears and worries, from the most exceptional to the most mundane, from the dread of earthquakes and terrorist attacks to fear of darkness and loneliness. SAFE covers all forms of design, featuring such diverse items as refugee shelters, baby strollers, demining equipment, protective sports gear, and new intercoms for the New York City subway.

The exhibition, which was originally on view in The International Council Gallery from October 16, 2005, to January 2, 2006, was organized by Paola Antonelli, Curator, and Patricia Juncosa Vecchierini, Curatorial Assistant, Department of Architecture and Design, The Museum of Modern Art.

Creative Genesis

Safety is an instinctive need that has guided human choices throughout history and it has in recent years become even more of a focus. Risk, on the other hand, is mankind's propelling fuel. While civilization craves discovery and inspiration, designers have to balance risk with safety. Good design must address personal needs, providing protection and security without sacrificing innovation and invention. Ms. Antonelli states: "Beauty and usefulness alone were not enough to justify inclusion in this exhibition. Each object had to transcend the outcome of the equation of its form and function by displaying meaning -- to an individual, to a community, to the world at large -- and, last but not least, ingenious beauty."

The initial concept for this exhibition was developed by Ms. Antonelli prior to September 11, 2001. Originally titled Emergency, it focused mainly on emergency-response equipment and tools. After 9/11, the exhibition was greatly expanded to address not only how designers respond to a wider definition of risk, but also to include how they respond to emotions about safety.

Exhibition Themes

The objects in SAFE are grouped according to the circumstances that prompted their creation and the type of protection or solace they are meant to provide. According to Ms. Antonelli, these categories "serve as guidance rather than as a guide, and personal interpretation can easily erase the borders between categories."

• Shelter features temporary housing for refugees and disaster victims and examples of psychological protection against anxiety and stress.

• Armor includes examples of objects designed to protect the body from visible and invisible threats.

• Property focuses on the things we do to safeguard our belongings and our identity.

• Everyday deals with mundane and serious problems people from different parts of the world encounter in their daily routines -- from blisters caused by new shoes to the need to make arsenic-contaminated water drinkable.

• Emergency features a collection of objects devised for urgent use in exceptional conditions.

• Awareness centers on the belief that knowledge and clarity beget safety.