Symbols as Synecdoche: Creating Community Identity

Written by Uttara Nanavati Few experiences are as gratifying as witnessing archival material transform into a compelling exhibition. In the fall of 2022, I had the remarkable opportunity to do just that during my curatorial fellowship at Cooper Hewitt. After nearly a year immersed in the Product Design and Decorative Arts Department collections, I was thrilled to contribute to the project Give Me a Sign: The Language of Symbols . This project was a perfect fusion of my undergraduate background i