Documentary and exhibition: Craft in America
PBS broadcasts a documentary on American craft this May.
Sheila Kim-Jamet -- Interior Design, 2/23/2007 12:00:00 AM
On May 30, the Public Broadcasting System (PBS) network will be debuting a documentary series celebrating the significance, beauty, and function of craft—Craft in America. Comprising three parts, directed by Nigel Nobel, Daniel Seeger, and Hilary Birmingham, the documentary is a production of the non-profit organization Craft in America and the Independent Television Service, and seeks to introduce the role of craftsmanship—in the founding and future of America—to the public.
Episode one, titled "Memory," is a tour of craft, featuring stories straight from some of the most prominent artists today to the larger historical context of craft, whereas episodes two and three possess more specific focuses. Episode two, "Landscape," explores the relationship between artist and physical environment, and how that external aspect influences and inspires their work. This portion also reveals some of the artists’ own processes. The third installment, "Community," examines how craft plays a part as a community or spiritual activity, presenting personal stories of artists as to how craft is more than the creation of an object, but also a way of life and reason for being.
Some of the highlights of the series include a white birch bark and silk thread basket by Dona Look; a wood, plastic, and brass chair by Gary Knox Bennett; a wooden double-rocking chair by Sam Maloof; and a sculptural object that disassembles into eight brooches, two stick pins, a tie tack, pendant, and headband, created by Jan Yager. Other featured works range from glassware to textiles.
An extensive museum exhibition is also scheduled to debut this Spring. "Craft in America: Expanding Traditions" will tour over a two-year period, beginning with the Arkansas Arts Center in Little Rock on April 13. With the same themes as the documentary series, this survey will include more than 200 works spanning the last two centuries. Slated to host the show are Contemporary Crafts Museum and Gallery, Portland, Oregon; Mingei International Museum, San Diego; Houston Center for Contemporary Craft; Cranbrook Art Museum, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan; National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, Oklahoma City; and Palm Springs Art Museum, California.
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