40 under 40: Craft Futures - Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum

All the Girls Wept Tears of Pure Love / St. John the Baptist (Jordan Lee), 2009

hand embroidery and sequins on cotton, 18" x 20" - click to enlarge

This past week, the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum announced the selection of artists for an exhibition honoring the upcoming anniversary of the Renwick Gallery, which opened in 1972.

40 under 40: Craft Futures
July 20, 2012 - February 3, 2013

40 under 40: Craft Futures is is presented in honor of the 40th anniversary of the Renwick Gallery. Nicholas R. Bell, curator at the museum’s Renwick Gallery, selected the artists and is organizing the exhibition. The museum intends to acquire works by every artist in the exhibition for the permanent collection to mark the anniversary. The artists included in the exhibition originate from every region of the United States and five countries.

The exhibition investigates evolving notions of craft within traditional media such as ceramics and metalwork, as well as in fields as varied as sculpture, industrial design, installation art, fashion design, sustainable manufacturing, and mathematics. The range of disciplines represented illustrates new avenues for the handmade in contemporary culture.

The exhibition will tour nationally after it closes in Washington, D.C. A catalogue is forthcoming.

Selected Artists:
Vivian Beer, b. 1977
Melanie Bilenker, b. 1978
Jeffrey Clancy, b. 1976
Dave Cole, b. 1975
Cristina Córdova , b. 1976
Gabriel Craig, b. 1983
Jennifer Crupi, b. 1973
Erik Demaine, b. 1981
Joshua DeMonte, b. 1984
Brian Dettmer, b. 1974
Nick Dong, b. 1973
Joseph Foster Ellis, b. 1984
Jeff Garner, b. 1978
Theaster Gates, b. 1975
Sabrina Gschwandtner, b. 1977
Jenny Hart, b. 1972
Sergey Jivetin, b. 1977
Lauren Kalman, b. 1980
Lara Knutson, b. 1974
Stephanie Liner, b. 1978
Marc Maiorana, b. 1978
Sebastian Martorana, b. 1981
Christy Matson, b. 1979
Cat Mazza, b. 1977
Daniel Michalik, b. 1972
Matt Moulthrop, b. 1977
Christy Oates, b. 1980
Olek, b. 1978
Andy Paiko, b. 1977
Mia Pearlman, b. 1974
Lacey Jane Roberts, b. 1980
Laurel Roth, b. 1973
Shawn Smith, b. 1972
Jen Stark, b. 1983
Matthew Szösz, b. 1974
Uhuru (Jason Horvath, b. 1978 and William Hilgendorf, b. 1979)
Jamin Uticone, b. 1975
Anna Von Mertens, b. 1973
Stacey Lee Webber, b. 1982
Bohyun Yoon, b. 1976

I have long admired the work of many of the artists included, especially Melanie Bilenker, Dave Cole, and Olek. I'm thrilled beyond belief to be included. The work I'm unfamiliar with is a joy to explore and I'll be blogging more about those artists and information related to the exhibition as it approaches.

More information on the show
Slideshow of examples of work by each artist