Now on view at Mingei International Museum: MADE IN AMERICA – Craft Icons of the 50 States. Three years in the making, this exhibition was conceived of and curated by Mingei Director Rob Sidner, who had the idea of representing all 50 states with iconic craft work when viewing some handmade canoe paddles on vacation in Hawaii several years ago.
MADE IN AMERICA — Craft Icons of the 50 States
With more than 100 objects in the exhibition, the variety of materials includes textiles, glass, furniture, tools, baskets, silver, costumes, jewelry, Native American Craft, signs, ceramics, and many objects of use. Among the more unexpected pieces: a saddle, a hitching post, and early lighted sign piece from Las Vegas, cowboy boots and outrigger canoe paddles. The show includes both traditional and contemporary objects.
Some exhibition objects are from Mingei’s permanent collection, but most have been loaned from museums, historical societies and private collections from all over the country. There is a space in the exhibition – My Craft Icon – where visitors can provide feedback on what they might have included in the show from their own home state.
Visit Mingei this fall and see how your state is represented in MADE IN AMERICA!
MADE IN AMERICA — Craft Icons of the 50 States
Photo by Katie Gardner | Sponsored by Mingei International Museum
