Crafting Modernism: Midcentury American Art and Design
Crafting Modernism: Mid-Century American Art and Design showcased the bold new directions taken in craft and design during the postwar years. The exhibition was the fourth part of an ongoing series of shows for The Centenary Project—the first in-depth examination of American craft in the 20th century. The first three exhibitions were presented at the Museum between 1993 and 1995. Co-curated by Jeannine Falino and Jennifer Scanlan, Crafting Modernism underscored the growth and transformation of American life during the turbulent 1960s through art, craft, and design, as demonstrated through furniture, textiles, tableware, ceramics, glass, jewelry, sculpture, and painting.
The exhibition was organized into two broad sections, each occupying an entire museum floor. The first addressed the early postwar years from 1945 to the late 1950s, during which time the independent craftsmen's lifestyle became a compelling alternative to the anonymity of the corporate world. The rise of the craftsman-designer in industry and the influence of craft on modern design will be explored in this section, with examples across all media drawn from Reed & Barton, Knoll, and Blenko Glass, among others. The second half of the exhibition focused on the emergence of the crafted object as a work of art, informed by Abstract Expressionism, Pop Art, funk, and social commentary. Concluding with a nod to the countercultural strains of rock 'n’ roll, controlled substances, and the American flag in a “groovy” celebration of the crafted object. The exhibition was accompanied by a catalog, published by Harry N. Abrams.
Crafting Modernism: Mid-Century American Art and Design was made possible in part through the generosity of the National Endowment for the Arts, the Henry Luce Foundation, and the Center for Craft, Creativity and Design. Major support for the exhibition catalog was provided by the Windgate Charitable Foundation.
A scholarly 360-page catalog was published by Harry N. Abrams, containing essays, biographies, and extended reference materials, following the standard of the previous exhibitions.
