1:1 Period Rooms1:1 Period Rooms

Penny Sparke (Kingston University, London) and Greg Castillo (Berkeley University of California) were invited to speak at Het Nieuwe Instituut on 5 March 2015 as part of the_1:1 Period Rooms programme_

Penny Sparke (Kingston University London) spoke about the rise of the notion of the 'modern interior' in the second half of the 19th century, and about the role this played in shaping modern values and ideas. Greg Castillo (Berkeley University of California) then showed how exhibited interiors were used on both sides of the Iron Curtain for propoganda during the Cold War. Castillo's research, which resulted in the book Cold War on the Home Front, showed how the interior was used to promote the superiority of two rival super powers. The evening rounded up with a discussion with the two speakers led by researcher Fredie Floré (KULeuven).

Penny Sparke is professor of Design History at Kingston University and director of the Modern Interiors Research Centre. From 1967 to 1971 she studied French literature at the University of Sussex and graduated between 1972 and 1975 at Brighton Polytechnic on research into design history.

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Greg Castillo is a senior lecturer at the College of Environmental Design, University of California (Berkeley) en researcher at the United States Studies Centre, University of Sydney (Australia).

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• Download: complete presentation Greg Castillo

• Download: complete presentation Penny Sparke

A presentation about Greg Castillo's book 'Cold War on the Home Front', in The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars Washington can be seen here.

A presentation of Penny Sparke's book 'The Modern Interior', in SculptureCenter New York, can be seen here.