Miami, FL – March 20 – 22, 2014 – “Power of Design 2014: Complaints” united participants in a milestone event that used art and design to highlight community challenges and initiate collective problem-solving.  This was the inaugural year of the event and focused on design’s role in transforming society. The festival’s mission was to engage the community by exploring the relevance of ideas embedded in the museum’s collection. “Power of Design 2014”: Complaints brought together change-makers, thought leaders and visionaries from multiple fields for lively discussions, presentations, performances, exhibitions and more. The event was not intended to focus simply on complaints, but on what comes next: action, innovation and collective problem-solving. Highlights of the program included: novelist and public radio host Kurt Andersen as master of ceremonies; political humorist Andy Borowitz on how humor helps complaints get heard and how political humor can spur political change; group discussions with renowned experts on topics that included cities, air travel and watchdog journalism; a hands-on program for children led by Todd Oldham; a dialogue between Pulitzer Prize–winning author Michael Chabon, virtual reality pioneer Jaron Lanier, and Wired magazine powerhouse Clive Thompson who explored challenges and opportunities of the digital age, co-curated by Intelligence Squared.  The event was presented by The Wolfsonian–FIU and WLRN in partnership with the Miami Herald, and support from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

An Inalienable Right & Bummer at The Wolfsonian

Steven Heller, Cathy Leff, & Todd Oldham

Cathy Leff & Celina Agaton

Steven Heller & Cathy Leff

Cathy Leff & Steven Heller

Cathy Leff

Steven Heller

Todd Oldham

Todd Oldham & Steven Heller

GALLERY SLIDER

Collecting Complaints at The Wolfsonian

Susan & Dennis Richard

Frederick Doner, Steven Heller, & Gabe Klein

Billy Kimball, Cathy Leff, & Judith Rodin

Gabe Klein, Michele Oka Doner, & Ric Herrero

Louis Wolfson, Chris Adamo, & Tim Oliveri

Marla Revis Patti, Dennis Richard, & Michael Patti

Michele Oka Doner & Susan Birbragher

Mary & Edward Crawford

Jon  Mogul

Todd Oldham

Christian Larsen

Steven Heller

Cathy Leff, Jon Mogul, Steven Heller, Christian Larsen, & Todd Oldham

Gabe Klein, Bernard Zyscovich, Suria Yaffar, Michele Oka Doner, & Frederick Doner

Suria Yaffar & Cathy Leff

Celina Agaton, Samantha Garcia, & Fataah Dihaan

GALLERY SLIDER

Prophets of the Digital Age at PAMM

Kurt Andersen, Jaron Lanier, Clive Thompson, & Michael Chabon

Michael Chabon, Clive Thompson, Jaron Lanier, & Kurt Andersen

Jane Wooldridge

Cathy Leff

Matt Haggman

Hannah Kaye

Barbara de Vries & Alastair Gordon

Jane Wooldridge, Bianca Erickson, Marisa Toccin Lucas, Cathy Leff, & Matt Haggman

Bianca Erickson & Marisa Toccin Lucas

Carol Coletta & Cathy Leff

Marisa Toccin Lucas & Bianca Erickson

Nancy Novogrod & Cathy Leff

Michael Chabon, Marianne & John Devine

Steven Heller, Ashlea Powell, & Gabe Klein

Hannah Kaye, Jaron Lanier, & Cathy Leff

Chris Adamo, Iran Issa-Khan, & Casey Steadman

Andy Borowitz, Lizzi Ross, Sara Sjolund, Michael Chabon, & Billy Kimball