Quoting Richard Dattner in 1969, “The most interesting place in the typical playground is the drinking fountain,” the Heinz Architectural Center at the Carnegie Museum of Art opened The Playground Projecton June 10. The exhibition, which includes playgrounds from Europe, the United States, and Japan from the latter half of the 20th century, takes a hard line look at the way we approach childhood, risk, public space, and education as today’s playgrounds have become liability driven, sanitized, and risk free, i.e. fun free, environments. The exhibition includes a 1972 Lozziwurm play sculpture by Swiss artist Yvan Pestalozzi installed at the museum’s entrance, the first US installation of this interactive play sculpture. On October 5, The Playground Project will become part of the 2013 Carnegie International, which brings together 35 artists from 19 countries. The Playground Project is open until March 16, 2014, but will be closed from August 12 through October 4.
