Objects: USA 2020

In 1969, an exhibition at the Smithsonian Institution called "Objects: USA" redefined American art by showcasing a new generation of artist-craftspeople. The exhibition traveled to twenty-two museums and eleven cities in Europe, canonizing artists such as Anni Albers, Sheila Hicks, Wharton Esherick, Wendell Castle, and George Nakashima. "Objects: USA 2020" revisits this groundbreaking exhibition and its catalog, pairing fifty participants from the original exhibition with fifty contemporary artists to create new forms of art using traditional methods and materials.

Format: Hardback
Length: 256 pages
Publication date: 27 October 2020
Publisher: Monacelli Press

Objects: USA 2020 is a groundbreaking exhibition that redefines American art by revisiting a seminal event that took place in 1969 at the Smithsonian Institution. This exhibition brought together a diverse group of artists who were inventing new approaches to art-making through craft media. The exhibition toured to twenty-two museums across the country, attracting over half a million viewers, and then to eleven cities in Europe. It canonized artists such as Anni Albers, Sheila Hicks, Wharton Esherick, Wendell Castle, and George Nakashima, while also introducing others who would go on to achieve widespread art-world acclaim, including Dale Chihuly, Michele Oka Doner, J. B. Blunk, and Ron Nagle.

Objects: USA 2020 revisits this revolutionary exhibition and its accompanying catalog, which has become a bible for curators, gallerists, dealers, craftspeople, and artists. The exhibition pairs fifty participants from the original exhibition with fifty contemporary artists who are pushing the boundaries of traditional craft methods and materials to create new forms of art.

Published to coincide with an exhibition of the same title at the renowned gallery R & Company, the exhibition features essays by some of the foremost authorities on craft at the intersection of art, including Glenn Adamson, curator and former director of the Museum of Arts & Design; James Zemaitis, curator and former head of twentieth-century design at Sotheby's; and Lena Vigna, curator of exhibitions at the Racine Art Museum.

In an interview with Paul J. Smith, the cocurator of Objects: USA 2020, he discusses the historical significance of the exhibition and how it elevated craft to the status of museum-quality art. He also outlines the exhibition's trajectory for the future, highlighting the continued innovation and experimentation in the field of craft.

Objects: USA 2020 is an essential art historical reference that traces the evolution of craft and its impact on American art. It is a must-see for anyone interested in the intersection of art and craft, and a testament to the enduring power of creativity and innovation.

Weight: 1540g
Dimension: 239 x 286 x 27 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781580935739