Crafting America

FAIN: GI-271495-20

Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art (Bentonville, AR 72712-4947)
Jen Padgett (Project Director: January 2020 to present)

Implementation of a traveling exhibition highlighting American craft since 1940.

A fresh perspective on American craft from the 1940s to today, Crafting America presents a bold statement on the past, present, and future relevance of craft to American identity. Featuring over 100 objects, this traveling exhibition showcases work in ceramics, glass, metal, fiber, wood, and other media. The exhibition traces skilled making across boundaries and asserts the vital role of craft in American history and culture since World War II. The intertwined nature of craft and American experience are foregrounded by the exhibition’s thematic structure, exploring the ideas of Life, Liberty, and The Pursuit of Happiness. This framework examines craft as an inherently democratic form, one that enables individuals from diverse backgrounds to realize the nation’s founding ideals in a broad and more inclusive way.

Associated Products

Crafting America Virtual Reality (Web Resource)
Title: Crafting America Virtual Reality
Author: Shane Richey
Abstract: The Crafting America Virtual Exhibition on the Crystal Bridges website was launched to preserve the exhibit forever for viewing and to allow access to the exhibit for those who could not attend the exhibit in person. This VR experience aims to allow off-site visitors an opportunity to examine works in the exhibition and provides learning experiences such as gallery talks and lectures with artists and scholars.
Year: 2021
Primary URL: http://my.matterport.com/show/?m=nBYNNTqCcL5

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