Curated by Jeannine Falino, New York Silver, Then and Now links the rich history of silversmithing in New York City to present-day artistic practice. It features newly commissioned works by leading metalworkers, created in response to historical objects from the Museum’s collection.
The Museum’s holdings, widely recognized as one of the foremost collections of American silver in the nation, include leading examples of silver designed and produced in New York from the mid-17th through the 20th century. Comprised of more than 1,400 works by such notable craftsmen as Cornelius Kierstede, Myer Myers, and Charles LeRoux , and renowned retailer/manufacturers like Black, Starr & Frost and Tiffany & Co., the collection demonstrates how, for over four centuries, the city’s silversmiths and designers have adapted international styles to make them distinctively “New York” in look and feel.
The exhibition will open a dialogue between past and present, pairing historic pieces with remarkable new work by contemporary artists. Internationally recognized artists from the New York area who have been invited to participate include designers Dror Benshetrit and Ted Muehling; architect/interior designers William Georgis and Sheila Bridges; artists Michele Oka Doner, Jonathan Wahl (below) and Kiki Smith; metalsmiths Myra Mimlitsch-Gray (above) and Wendy Yothers, and many others.
Save the date for the roundtable talk on September 26th, inspired by the exhibition. join Ted Muehling, Myra Mimlitsch-Gray, and Kiki Smith, three renowned contemporary artists whose work was commissioned for the show, to discuss their craft and silver as an art form today in a conversation moderated by Wendy Goodman, Design Editor at New York magazine.
New York Silver: Then and Now
Museum of the City of New York
June 29, 2017 – July 2018
