What kind of nothing?

For the Forecast Program, Noguchi designed the sculptural Prismatic Table, and Girard created a room divider with variable sizes, colours and storage options.

The ‘Solar Do-Nothing Machine‘ was designed by Charles and Ray Eames in 1957 as a kinetic aluminium sculpture – a toy powered by sunlight alone. A solar collector tracked the sun across the horizon, motors responded, wheels turned, pistons rose and receded, colours flashed and blended. The Eames described their invention as ‘a device that will do nothing’ – and spoke about natural resources and the means for teaching the younger generation. The Eames ‘Solar Do-Nothing Machine‘ is not supposed to do, as the Eames stated, it is supposed to be. Its whole function is in its being. Whoever asks what the function of a sunset is?

About its creation Charles Eames said: ‘And this, I would say, would be a good test for any design. Does it make somebody aware of something that it is important for him to be aware of? And does it do it in a manner that is delightful (which is the opposite of pedantic)? In fact, this could be a good starting point for somebody wanting to make a design: to think first about what he wanted to make people aware of, and then to move toward the most effective and pleasing way of bringing this about.’

Eames Demetrios, grandson of the Eameses, later discovered unedited footage of the ‘Solar Do-Nothing Machine‘ and made a film.

The film is also part of “The World of Charles and Ray Eames” at Barbican Center, London. Read more about this exhibition in our interview with curator Catherine Ince.