Ben Venom, I Am the Night Rider, 2015, Handmade quilt with recycled fabric, Gregg Museum of Art & Design, commissioned by the Friends of the Gregg Museum.
Image courtesy of the Gregg Museum of Art & Design
A new exhibition dedicated to the subject of modern and contemporary craft opened Saturday, Feb. 6 at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art.
Crafting America features over 120 objects made from materials like wood, glass, fiber, ceramics, metal, and more from 98 American artists from the 1940s to today.
The exhibition is organized into four parts: Introduction/What is Craft, Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.
From the museum:
Through these sections, the exhibition explores the concept of craft and how closely craft is intertwined with the American experience; how artists shape the objects of daily life; the history and innovation that led to expressive forms of craft; and how the process of making celebrates the quality and materiality of craft.
Anne Lemanski, Tigris T-1, 2018, copper rod, archival print on paper, artificial sinew, epoxy and plastic, 64x61x30 in., Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, gift of Fleur S. Bresler.
Photo by Steve Mann
The exhibition is open through May 31. Timed tickets are available online for $12. Otherwise, admission is free for members, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants, veterans, and youth ages 18 and under. SNAP participants can call 479-657-2335 to enroll for free entry to temporary exhibitions.
After it closes at Crystal Bridges, the exhibition will travel to the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art at Auburn University.
Wendell Castle, Chest of Drawers, 1962, Oak, walnut, birch, and oak plywood, courtesy of R & Company, New York Wendell Castle Estate
Photo by Joe Kramm
“At Crystal Bridges, we strive to explore the unfolding story of American art, and this exhibition highlights the technical skill and beauty of making in the America,” said Rod Bigelow, executive director and chief diversity & inclusion officer. “We know Crafting America will surprise and delight audiences with the creativity and innovation, and we’re excited to build on our everyday connections with craft through the exhibition, programs, and engagements.”
