COMPLIMENTARY COPY
Published Weekly By Joel Sater Publications www.antiquesandauctionnews.net
VOL. 42, NO. 48 FRIDAY DECEMBER 2, 2011
Mid-Century American Art & Design n the period immediately after World War II, characterized by mass production, the handmade object offered a humanizing counterpoint to the machine aesthetic. Focusing on the dynamic relationship between craft and design, the exhibition “Crafting Modernism: M i d Century American Art and Design” at the Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) showcases the bold new directions taken in media and aesthetics during those postwar years. Organized by the museum and remaining on view through January 15, 2012, this historic exhibition is the fourth part of an ongoing series of shows for the 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” underscores the growth and transformation of American life during the turbulent 1960s through art, craft, and design. Featuring the work of more than 160 artists and designers, including such iconic figures as Wendell Castle, Sheila Hicks, and Jack Lenor Larsen, and lesserknown, though highly influential artists and designers like Katherine Choy, and Hui Ka Kwong, “Crafting Modernism” demonstrates through furniture, textiles, tableware, ceramics,
I
Claire Falkenstein, Pendant, 1961. Glass, metal 4 3/4 x 4 1/4 x 1/2 in. (12.1 x 10.8 x 1.3 cm). Collection of Kenneth Dukoff
glass, jewelry, sculpture and painting, how the period between 1945 and 1969 proved a key transitional era for American craft and design. A scholarly 360-page catalogue, published by Harry N. Abrams, accompanies the exhibition. “Crafting Modernism” is an exhibition with special significance for us,” said Holly Hotchner, MAD’s Nanette L. Laitman Director. “Not only is it Jan de Swart, Blanket Chest, c 1965. Jelutong 15 x 32 x 17 1/4 in. (38.1 x 81.3 x 43.8 cm). Collection of Mark McDonald
part of the groundbreaking Centenary Project, charting the history of modern American craft, but it also charts our own history.” The Museum of Arts and Design was originally founded in 1956 by the visionary philanthropist Aileen Osborn Webb as the ‘Museum of Contemporary Crafts.’ “At the time, it was the first museum of modern craft in the world,” says Hotchner. “Crafting Modernism: MidCentury American Art and Design” is organized into two broad sections, each of which receives treatment on its own floor in the museum, enhanced by domestic vignettes that evoke the
Richard Pousette-Dart, “Forms: Transcendental,” 1950. Gouache on panel Overall: 24 x 19 1/2 in. (61 x 49.5 cm). The Simona and Jerome Chazen Collection
‘cool’ and countercultural posture of the era. The first section addresses the early postwar years from 1945 to the late 1950s - during which time the independent craftsmen 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 is explored in this section with examples in all media. Items are drawn from Reed & Barton, Knoll, and Blenko
Glass, among others. The second half of the exhibition focuses on the emergence of the crafted object as a work of art that is informed by Abstract Expressionism, Pop Art, ‘funk,’ and social commentary. It concludes 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. While youthful men and women from all walks of life, cultures, and continents rediscovered and reinvigorated traditional craft media to express cultural identity, artistic innovation, and social views, young designers
movement,” says Jeannine Falino, the co-curator. “The exhibition is a must-see for anyone interested in the aesthetics and philosophy of the era. We have combed the country to find exciting and influential works, many of which have rarely been seen since midcentury.” As craft programs developed and expanded in university art departments across the
dard of the previous exhibitions in the series. The Museum of Arts and Design explores the ‘blur zone’ between art, design, and craft today. It focuses on contemporary creativity and the ways in which artists and designers from around the world transform materials through processes ranging from the artisanal to the digital. The Museum’s exhibition program examines and illumi-
United States, artists like Peter Voulkos and Lenore Tawney increasingly began to consider the sculptural and aesthetic qualities of materials previ-
Wendell Castle, Music Rack, 1964. Oak, rosewood; bent lamination, joined, pegged 55 1/2 x 25 x 20 in. (141 x 63.5 x 50.8 cm). Purchased by the American Craft Council, 1964
o u s l y reserved for functional objects. Their pioneering achievements bridged the traditional art-craft divide, enabling the crafted object to assert itself as an aspect of modern art. This development paralleled an increasing openness in the art world to new expressions and alternative media demonstrated in the works of artists like Alexander Calder. As craft entered the public realm through museum exhibitions and publications, it added to the ongoing political and social dialogue in Ray Eames Charles American art and life, Eames Stool, 1960 Oiled serving as a reprewalnut. Overall: 15 sentative of a x13 x 13in. (38.1 x 33 x 33cm). Private counter-culture Collection lifestyle. The scholarly 360-page catalogue introduced more informal domestic interiors, which were published by Harry N. often adorned with crafted objects, and so gave a more human face to modernism. This interplay between craft and design is discovered by visitors to the exhibit through works of textile designer Dorothy Liebes; furniture maker George Nakashima; silversmith Jack Prip; sculptor and designer Isamu Noguchi; and others. Works by designers who incorporated craft techniques or aesthetics into more widescale production, such Abrams, as Edith Heath, contains Russell Wright, and essays, Charles and Ray biograEames, are also on phies, display. a n d “‘Crafting extended Modernism’ and its reference accompanying catalogue provide materials, fola gateway to the movers and shaklowing the staners of the modern studio craft
nates issues and ideas, highlights invention and craftsmanship, and celebrates the limitless potential of materials and techniques when used by gifted and innovative artists. MAD’s permanent collection is global in scope and focuses on art, craft, and design from 1950 to the present day. Central to the Museum’s mission is education. The Museum’s dynamic new facility features classrooms and studios for master classes, seminars, and workshops for students, families, and adults. Its Open Studios enable visitors to engage artists at work and further enhance exhibition programs. Lectures, films, performances, and symposia related to the Museum’s collection and topical subjects affecting the world of contemporary creation are held in the building’s historic 144-seat auditorium. Located at 2 Columbus Circle in N e w Y o r k City, the Museum is o p e n Tuesday to Arieto (Harry) Bertoia Knoll International “Bird” Lounge Chair and Ottoman, after 1952. Welded steel rods, upholstery 40 1/4 x 38 1/2 x 33 in. (102.2 x 97.8 x 83.8 cm). Private Collection
Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Thursday and Friday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. (Closed Mondays and major holidays) Also on view now at the museum is “Picasso to Koons: The Artist as Jeweler,” which runs through January 8, 2012. For more information, phone (212) 299-7777; or visit MAD online at www.madmuseum.org. (More photos on page 2)