Media Advisory — Press preview for new exhibition “Disrupting Craft: Renwick Invitational 2018”
WHAT:
Press preview for new exhibition “Disrupting Craft: Renwick Invitational 2018”
WHEN:
Thursday, Nov. 8
10 a.m. to noon
Sign-in: 10 a.m.
Remarks and curator tour: 10:30 a.m.
WHERE:
Renwick Gallery
Pennsylvania Avenue at 17th Street N.W.
WHO:
Abraham Thomas, The Fleur and Charles Bresler Curator-in-Charge
Tanya Aguiñiga, featured artist
Sharif Bey, featured artist
Dustin Farnsworth, featured artist
Stephanie Syjuco, featured artist
“Disrupting Craft: Renwick Invitational 2018”—a new exhibition at the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Renwick Gallery—is the museum’s latest project to reassess what craft is in a modern world and how the maker culture in America captures an ethos for civic engagement and community building. It features artists Tanya Aguiñiga, Sharif Bey, Dustin Farnsworth and Stephanie Syjuco. Working in a wide range of materials—including ceramics, glass, wood and fiber—these artists all share a dedication to social practice that they convey through their handmade artworks and a questioning of the conventional definitions of craft to disrupt the status quo. They proactively respond to contemporary issues by reaching beyond their studios to promote collective engagement. They weave elements of performance and installation art into their work to encourage challenging conversations within their communities.
The exhibition includes more than 50 objects showcasing a range of early and new works by each artist. “Disrupting Craft” will be on view Nov. 9 through May 5, 2019. The press kit for the exhibition is available online.
Interested media should RSVP to americanartpressoffice@si.edu. Photographers and film crews are welcome and may contact the office in advance to make arrangements. Requests for one-on-one interviews at the press preview should be made in advance with Taylor Dorn by email at dornt@si.edu. Additional press materials available at americanart.si.edu/press.
About the Smithsonian American Art Museum and its Renwick Gallery
The Smithsonian American Art Museum is the flagship museum in the United States for American art and craft. It is home to one of the most significant and inclusive collections of American art in the world. The museum’s main building, located at Eighth and G streets N.W., is open daily from 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. The museum’s Renwick Gallery, a branch museum dedicated to contemporary craft, is located on Pennsylvania Avenue at 17th Street N.W. and is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Check online for current hours and admission information. Admission is free. Follow the museum on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube. Smithsonian information: (202) 633-1000. Museum information (recorded): (202) 633-7970. Website: americanart.si.edu.
