San Francisco – The Museum of Craft and Design has opened a new exhibition titled “Objects: USA,” directly honoring the groundbreaking 1969 Smithsonian American Art Museum show that put American craft on the national map. Curator Ariel Zaccheo says the original exhibition was a watershed moment, turning craft into a medium that could stand alongside fine art.
Connecting Past and Present
The new show displays more than 70 objects, juxtaposing items from the 1969 exhibition with contemporary pieces inspired by the same themes. Visitors are invited to guess which objects belong to the original era and which are modern creations—a game Zaccheo enjoyed with the museum’s installer, who often misidentified the pieces.
“The impact of it was just massive,” Zaccheo told the museum. “It put craft on the map as not just being something functional, but rather as another kind of medium competing with fine art.”
Historical Roots
The 1969 “Objects: USA” exhibition traveled to 33 venues and showcased over 500 works, introducing a generation of artists who would become leaders in the field. Zaccheo describes the original catalog, published in 1970, as a “bible” for craft professionals. The museum’s store now sells reprints of that catalog for enthusiasts.
Materials and Makers
Following the original’s emphasis on material, the new exhibition features a wide range of media—from terracotta and stoneware to glass and leather. Highlights include a terracotta piece by Ebitenyefa Baralye, stoneware by Marguerite Wildenhain of the Guerneville pottery commune, and a leather‑cord sculpture by Jay Sae Jung Oh that challenges viewers to identify everyday objects by shape alone.
Contemporary glass artist Amber Cowan’s “Ecco to the Bridesmaid” joins a work by Dale Chihuly, whose inclusion underscores how the original show helped launch his career.
Celebrating Diversity
The exhibition also showcases the four seminal furniture makers—George Nakashima, Sam Maloof, Wendell Castle, and James Krenov—alongside modern designers like Norman Teague, who seeks to bring design to communities of color. “He’s trying to totally rewrite that narrative,” Zaccheo noted, emphasizing the show’s commitment to inclusive representation.
Craft’s geographic diversity is evident, too; while fine art often clusters in major markets, craft artists hail from across the United States, reflecting a broader, more grassroots creative spirit.
Why It Matters
By revisiting the historic exhibition, the Museum of Craft and Design underscores how the 1969 show shifted public perception, elevating utilitarian objects to the status of art. Today, major museums increasingly acquire fiberwork, ceramics, and other craft media, blurring the line between craft and fine art—a trend Zaccheo says continues to expand the field’s reach.
The exhibition runs from September 5 through January 17, offering San Franciscans a chance to explore the evolution of American craft and its ongoing relevance.
Original reporting: Mission Local — read the source article.
