Fabrique Au Canada: Metiers D'Art et Design dans les Annes Soixante

The red maple leaf is the quintessential symbol of Canada and the flag that popularized it throughout the world was designed in the 1960s as a result of government legislation aimed at creating a vital, new Canadian national identity through objects, events, and building projects. Made in Canada looks at the development of Canadian craft, design, and culture through ambitious government programs meant to reinforce the country's identity as a modern, sophisticated, and autonomous nation. Changes in the 1960s included the building of modern airports, the first space satellite, and new national symbols such as the flag. Canadians embraced this heightened sense of individuality and demanded products that were equally individual. As a result pop culture objects sat on cool furniture influenced by Scandinavian modernism while handmade crafts reflected a growing concern with environmental issues. Expo 67 was the turning point - one final expression of optimism before Canada was rocked by social change and varied struggles for identity. In these essays, leading Canadian artists, curators, and art historians from Douglas Coupland to Paul Bourassa look at questions of design and national identity in the 1960s.Alan C. Elder is the author of 'Fabrique Au Canada: Metiers D'Art et Design dans les Annes Soixante', published 2005 under ISBN 9780773529434 and ISBN 0773529438.