THOMASVILLE—A private collection of early—to mid-century modern furniture made its home at the Thomasville Center for the Arts on Thursday night when the exhibit Modern vs. Contemporary opened for the public. 

Curated by Ann Albritton and Elva Rubio, the collection showcases work that has been an influential cornerstone of the art, architecture, and design world of today. 

Albritton, an art historian whose field of study is in modern and contemporary works, partnered with Rubio, a modernist architect and designer, to discuss modern art and architecture and host lectures geared toward explaining the impact modernism has had in today’s homes and designs. 

As the duo began to work on a lecture series, a private collection featuring modern furniture became available, prompting Albritton and Rubio to secure it on loan for the Thomasville Center for the Arts. 

“These are the kinds of furnishings you don’t put in your TV Room,” Albritton explained. “These are collectibles and they are very famous.” 

Various furnishings adorned the exhibit space. However, two particular pieces stood out to Albritton among the rest. 

“I love the Barcelona chair and the daybed by Mies Van Der Rohe,” she said. 

Van Der Rohe is regarded as one of the pioneers of modernist architecture and designed some of the most eye-catching, recognizable classics of the century. Through his designs, Van Der Rohe created a feeling of lightness by combining supple, luxurious leathers with modern chrome frames, showcasing his “less is more” approach. 

Albritton is excited to share more about Van Der Rohe and other modernist architects during her lectures with Rubio. She hopes that viewers will gain a new perspective and appreciation during the lectures. 

The first lecture will be held on February 13th and focus on the 19th and 20th centuries and how modernism began. The second lecture will be held on March 20th and dive into the 20th and 21st centuries, with a lesson on the shift to contemporary. 

For those unable to attend Rubio and Albritton’s lecture series, Albritton said her main goal is for viewers to get a better understanding of what modern and contemporary architecture is and how they’ve developed through the collection. 

“From looking at this, it’s not typical Thomasville furniture,” she said. “A lot of people don’t know anything about it, but we want people to have an appreciation for a beautiful design.” 

To help viewers better understand the furniture, visual aids have been placed on banners in the background, sharing what was happening during that time, including famous people, clothes worn, and historical events. 

“One poster features the designer and architect, while the other poster shares the culture at that time,” she said. “I think this adds a really educational piece to the exhibit, so people can see that artist was working while he was doing these designs.” 

Albritton hopes these educational tools are just the beginning of some viewers’ lifelong fascination with modernist and contemporary architecture. 

The Modern vs. Contemporary Exhibit will continue to be on display in Thomasville Center for the Arts’ Main Gallery until March 20, 2025.