Intertwined: Contemporary Baskets from the Sara and David Lieberman Collection

Intertwined: Contemporary Baskets from the Sara and David Lieberman Collection, exhibited for the first time in New York, is a rare collection of contemporary baskets, including functional vessels and expressive works that challenge traditional definitions of basketry, from Sara and David Lieberman. With their passion for collecting contemporary craft and their exceptional openness to new forms and ideas, the Liebermans have assembled one of the best compilations of contemporary baskets in the country. The collection includes work by Ed Rossbach, Katherine Westphal, Sally Black, Kiyomi Iwata, Kazuaki Honma, Dorothy Gill Barnes, Carol Eckert, John McQueen, Elsie Holiday, Ferne Jacobs, Norma Minkowitz, Fran Reed, Lisa Telford, Kay Kahn, Jane Sauer, Gyöngy Laky, John Garrett, and many more.

Intertwined provided an international overview of an art form that is a fascinating blend of ancient and contemporary. The exhibition included more than 70 traditional and non-traditional works, tracing the evolution of the basket from a useful object to a work of art that can have expressive, sculptural, and conceptual significance. The baskets utilize a range of materials from traditional organic fibers to surprising media such as zippers and fish skins.

Intertwined: Contemporary Baskets from the Sara and David Lieberman Collection is organized by the Arizona State University Art Museum in Tempe, Arizona, and curated by Senior Curator Heather S. Lineberry and Jane Sauer, a nationally known basket maker and scholar. The exhibition is coordinated at MAD by Assistant Curator Laura Stern.

The presentation of the exhibition at MAD is made possible, in part, through the generosity of the Inner Circle, a leadership Museum support group.