Light Bulbs, clothes pins, paper clips, rubber bands, pencils and more at the San José Museum of Art (click image to go to an interactive exhibition)

Hidden Heroes: The Genius of Everyday Things is about light bulbs, paper clips, tin cans, adhesive tape, pencils, and milk cartons—anything but Art.

Common objects:

We use them every day. They influence our lives. They number in the billions. They are so common that we rarely even think about them … these objects are classics. Typically based on an idea that is both simple and ingenious, they have often remained essentially unaltered for decades. They are the utmost examples of sustainability and functional aesthetics. This exhibition … presents 36 of these everyday classics, tells their history and shows the enormous significance they have today.
— The Vitra Design Museum.

The displays were created in Germany at the Vitra Design Museum with commercial support by Hi-Cone Corporation, developer of the now ubiquitous plastic six-pack ring.

(Slide show: Click any image in the mosaic below to start a slideshow; Exit the slideshow by clicking the white X in the upper left corner of the screen.)

The “heroes” are simple things like the paper clip, the pencil, and the milk carton (36 in all).

Simple things like the paper clip, the clothes pin, and the milk carton (36 in all).

Right this way to the greatest inventions of all time.

The clothes pin (a Shaker invention) can be used in photography, too.

Each invention in its own display box — makes them easy ship and display.

Post-It! Hundreds of them, each with a memo.

Lego, did you know it is a classic?

A couple looking at the condom display.

The condom — not too good for wrapping veggies.

Never a dull moment at this museum. Have lunch at the cafe.

Unfortunately, the exhibit has closed its San José run; next stop on the tour is the Museum of Design Atlanta (MODA), and the last stop, before returning to Germany, will be Fundación la Caixa, Barcelona.

An interactive presentation of the exhibition in three languages (English, German and Spanish) is on the web.

Carto