An exhibition titled "Past as Prologue: The Last Decade of Furniture Design by Ray and Charles Eames" opens June 7 at the Transamerica Pyramid Center during San Francisco Design Week. Curated by Llisa Demetrios, the couple's granddaughter and chief curator of the Eames Institute of Infinite Curiosity, the show highlights the Eameses' often-overlooked final decade of collaboration (1968–1978). It features iconic designs like the side chair, executive chair, chess stool, and chaise, alongside rarely seen models and materials that reveal their iterative design process.
This exhibition matters because it shifts focus from the Eameses' celebrated midcentury innovations to their lesser-known later work, when they refined existing designs to meet new production methods, ergonomic standards, and market demands. It also marks the Eames Institute's first public exhibition beyond its archives, offering fresh insight into how the couple adapted their iconic furniture for changing tastes and commercial contexts—a process that underscores their enduring relevance in design history.