Handwork: Contemporary Craft at the Renwick Gallery
Jan Yager, Tiara of Useful Knowledge, from the series City Flora: The Philadelphia Series, 2006, 18- and 14-karat gold, oxidized sterling silver, and quartz pebble, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Linda L. Brownrigg, Cynthia Lovelace Sears, and Todd Wingate and Steven Cason in honor of Handwork: Celebrating American Craft 2026, 2025.8A-M, © 2006, Jan Yager
This installation of objects from SAAM’s collection — with more than 30 new acquisitions — showcases the practice of making things by hand. It features works made from materials that range from the traditional, like glass and ceramic, to unexpected items such as acrylic nails and honeybee wings. Handwork is part of a program at the Renwick Gallery to explore the meaning and relevance of craft in American culture.
Description
The Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum opened in 1972 to showcase the ingenuity of craft and its relevance to American history and culture. Over the years, the museum has featured many expressions and definitions of craft from throughout the United States.
This installation of 51 objects from SAAM’s collection showcases the practice of making things by hand. Its presentation, which features more than 30 new acquisitions, is part of a program at the Renwick Gallery to explore the meaning and relevance of craft in American culture.
Each gallery is organized around a particular way of sensing—perceiving, touching, moving, listening, and remembering—and includes a world of materials from the traditional wood, glass, metal, fiber, and ceramic to unexpected items such as car wrap vinyl, acrylic nails, "metaphysical elements," and honeybee wings.
The museum is the lead partner for Handwork: Celebrating American Craft 2026, a nationwide initiative organized by Craft in America. The installation features eleven extraordinary artworks that were acquired through the Handwork initiative.
Visiting Information
Events
Credit
Handwork: Contemporary Craft at the Renwick Gallery is organized by the Smithsonian American Art Museum. This exhibition is part of Handwork 2026, presented by Craft in America.
Generous support is provided by Brenda Erickson, the Margot Heckman Endowment for Craft and Decorative Arts, the Colleen and John Kotelly Endowment, Rebecca Ravenal and The Ravenal Foundation, the Smithsonian Women’s Committee Endowment, the Harold and Myra J. Weiss Endowment, and Todd Wingate and Steven Cason.
