Handwork: Contemporary Craft at the Renwick Gallery
Handwork: Contemporary Craft at the Renwick Gallery brings together fifty-three objects from the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s collection to celebrate and examine the role of handcraft in contemporary culture. The installation is presented as part of Handwork: Celebrating American Craft 2026, a nationwide initiative organized by Craft in America. Several of the works on view are recent acquisitions made possible through that initiative, including notable pieces by Roberto Benavidez, Angela Ellsworth, Bill Harris (Catawba Nation), Aya Oki, Ato Ribeiro, Diego Romero, and Jan Yager. These artworks, spanning diverse materials and techniques, are arranged to spark connections and invite visitors to explore the possibilities of craft in today’s shared world. The exhibition is organized by the Smithsonian American Art Museum and takes place at the Renwick Gallery, a venue dedicated to American craft since 1972.
When: Friday, November 13, 2026
Venue: Renwick Gallery, Smithsonian American Art Museum
Admission: Free
Hours: Open daily 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Featured Artists and Works: The installation includes works by more than two dozen makers, among them Roberto Benavidez (paper, paperboard, tape, glue, wire, and crepe paper, 2023 and 2024), Elizabeth Brim (steel, 2025), Wendell Castle (bleached Honduras mahogany, 1985), Chunghi Choo (copper with silver‑plating, 2004), Lia Cook (handwoven cotton and rayon, 1998), Cristina Córdova (ceramic, metal, resin, and wood, 2021), Vicki Essig (silk, 2023), Patricia R. Gorelangton and Caroline Correa (cotton, cotton sateen, and polyester, 2025), Katherine Gray (blown glass, powder‑coated metal, and acrylic, 2024–2025), Jan Yager (18‑ and 14‑karat gold, oxidized sterling silver, and quartz pebble, 2006), Bill Harris (ceramic, 2024), Luci Jockel (honey bee wings and archival glue, 2023), Anya Kivarkis (sterling silver, 2017), Charles Loloma (silver alloy, stone, wood, ivory, and gold alloy, ca. 1970), Sam Maloof (walnut, 1980), Christine McHorse (micaceous clay, 2016), Ato Ribeiro (repurposed wood, wood glue, high‑density polyethylene, and acrylic, 2023), Diego Romero (ceramic with gold luster, 2025), Akio Takamori (stoneware with underglazes, 2009), and Aya Oki (blown glass, 2021), among others.
Support: Generous support provided by Rebecca Ravenal and The Ravenal Foundation, and Todd Wingate and Steven Cason.
Note: This installation is presented as part of Handwork: Celebrating American Craft 2026, an initiative organized by Craft in America.