Touch (in the time of corona)

Sharon Massey, Touch (in the time of corona), 2020, copper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase through the Kenneth R. Trapp Acquisitions Fund, 2021.33
Sharon Massey, Touch (in the time of corona), 2020, copper, overall_​1: 5 in. × 3 12 in. × 14 in. (12.7 × 8.9 × 0.6 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase through the Kenneth R. Trapp Acquisitions Fund, 2021.33

Artwork Details

Title
Touch (in the time of corona)
Date
2020
Dimensions
overall_​1: 5 in. × 3 12 in. × 14 in. (12.7 × 8.9 × 0.6 cm)
Credit Line
Museum purchase through the Kenneth R. Trapp Acquisitions Fund
Mediums
Mediums Description
copper
Classifications
Subjects
  • Dress — accessory — jewelry
Object Number
2021.33

Artwork Description

Metalsmith Sharon Massey created this deeply personal work in 2020 following the death of her husband’s grandmother during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. At the funeral, Massey’s husband was unable to console his mother because of the need to maintain physical distance. Massey etched his fingerprints onto copper, intending them to be held and caressed like worry or prayer beads. The piece is a reminder of the centrality of touch, not just in craft, but in our everyday lives.


This Present Moment: Crafting a Better World, 2022

Works by this artist (162 items)

Chiura Obata, El Capitán, 1931, color woodcut on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Obata Family, 2000.76.24, © 1989, Lillian Yuri Kodani
El Capitán
Date1931
color woodcut on paper
Not on view
Chiura Obata, Untitled (Magnolia in a Blue Round Vase), ca.1930s, ink on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Estate of Chiura Obata, 2020.74
Untitled (Magnolia in a Blue Round Vase)
Dateca.1930s
ink on paper
Not on view
Chiura Obata, Landslide, 1941, watercolor on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Estate of Chiura Obata, 2020.72.2
Landslide
Date1941
watercolor on paper
Not on view
Chiura Obata, Topaz, ca. 1942, pencil on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Estate of Chiura Obata, 2020.72.5
Topaz
Dateca. 1942
pencil on paper
Not on view

Exhibitions

Quilt featuring the portrait of a woman
This Present Moment: Crafting a Better World
May 13, 2022April 2, 2023
This Present Moment: Crafting a Better World showcases the dynamic landscape of American craft today.

More Artworks from the Collection

Claire Falkenstein, City is Man, 1941-1952, linocut, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of The Falkenstein Foundation, 2019.27.14, ©1997, The Falkenstein Foundation
City is Man
Date1941-1952
linocut
Not on view
Claire Falkenstein, Untitled, 1976, embossed paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of The Falkenstein Foundation, 2019.27.18, ©1997, The Falkenstein Foundation
Untitled
Date1976
embossed paper
Not on view
Claire Falkenstein, Mandala, 1977, lithograph, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of The Falkenstein Foundation, 2019.27.19, ©1997, The Falkenstein Foundation
Mandala
Date1977
lithograph
Not on view
Nathan Oliveira, Site with Blue and White, 1978, monotype, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Bequest of Moses Lasky, 2004.32.14
Site with Blue and White
Date1978
monotype
Not on view