EPISODE NOTES

On Making Peace Visible we usually focus on stories -- narratives about peace and conflict that are told in the news, on social media, and shared in our collective zeitgeist. We’ve seen examples of how storytelling can both stoke the fire of war and encourage peaceful dialogue.

In this episode, we look at a different, but related way of creating space for peace: design. 

Our guest Cynthia Smith is the Curator for Socially Responsible Design at the Smithsonian Cooper Hewitt Museum in New York City. She spent five years creating the remarkable exhibition Designing Peace, which includes 40 design proposals, initiatives and interventions from 25 countries, including maps, images, textiles, video games and film.

From a teeter-totter installed on the US-Mexico border fence to a crowd-sourced reimagining of war-damaged Damascus, the works in Designing Peace coupled with Smith’s vision present a world of possibility. 

Designing Peace is on view at the Museum of Craft and Design in San Francisco through February 4, 2024. Explore the virtual exhibit here. Purchase the beautiful companion book here.

First Image: Art the Arms Fair, Organizers: Art the Arms Fair Collective, Collaborator: Campaign Against Arms Trade, Location: London, United Kingdom 2016-present. Photo credit: Courtesy of Tristan Oliver

Second Image: Cynthia Smith, courtesy of Cynthia Smith