Joanne Hyppolite & Toni Greenbaum — Bodyworks: The Jewelry of Art Smith - with Karen Davidov — at Union Market
Joanne Hyppolite and Toni Greenbaum discuss *Bodyworks: The Jewelry of Art Smith*, a richly illustrated retrospective of the pioneering modernist jeweler’s wearable art. Moderated by Karen Davidov, the conversation explores Smith’s creative process, influences, artistic legacy, and innovative approach to designing jewelry in relationship to the human body.
Art Smith (1917–1982) drew inspiration from jazz, dance, visual art, Pan-African regalia, and New York’s African American arts community. The book documents more than 60 pieces through 160 images, including newly commissioned photographs, historic images, and previously unpublished sketches. Featured works include the layered, volcanic-looking “Lava” bracelet, the atom-inspired “Lil’s Wire” pendant, and the carnelian “Minetta” necklace. Smith created custom jewelry for prominent clients including First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and Duke Ellington, and his work appeared in *Vogue*.
When: Saturday, October 24, 2026, at 7:00pm
Venue: Politics and Prose at Union Market, 1324 4th Street NE, Washington, DC 20002
Tickets: Free
Seating: First come, first served
Speakers: Joanne Hyppolite, Assistant Director for Culture at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History & Culture, and Toni Greenbaum, an art historian specializing in twentieth- and twenty-first-century jewelry and metalwork
Moderator: Karen Davidov, an independent art and design producer and founder of the Jewelry Library in New York City
About Joanne Hyppolite: Hyppolite curates the museum’s Cultural Expressions permanent exhibition, which includes Art Smith’s work, and has overseen the acquisition of two major archival collections related to the artist.
About Toni Greenbaum: Greenbaum has written extensively about modernist jewelry, including *Messengers of Modernism: American Studio Jewelry 1940–1960*, a major reference work on the subject.
Related book: *Bodyworks: The Jewelry of Art Smith* includes a foreword by Joyce J. Scott and is available as a $50 hardcover.
Accessibility: To request accommodations or ask accessibility questions, email events@politics-prose.com, ideally at least one week before the event. Requests will be accommodated whenever possible up to the event time.