“Guardians: Spirits of Protection,” is a poignant exploration of the creative relationship between tragedy and design.

The installation showcases a series of sculptures created by design professor emerita Ann Savageau. Made from found objects and flotsam that washed up on the beach coming from unknown places, the sculptures created by Savageau are composites of the disparate castoffs — in response to the tragic events in her life and to the pandemic.

“On a personal scale, ‘Guardians’ is about building a new life from loss,” said Savageau. “Creating this work helped me cope with my losses and grief. The meditative, incantatory process of building these figures enabled me to direct feelings of grief and loss to a more positive action. I found comfort in the care, thought, love and attention to detail I devoted to their creation.”

The exhibition has been curated by Tim McNeil, professor of design and director of the Design Museum.

“‘Guardians’ enters the Design Museum to help us process and reflect on the past year and a half,” said McNeil. “It’s hard not to be impacted by the design creativity, materiality and spirituality that resonates from the very presence of this work.”