Studio Pottery and Mid-Century Style

From “Mad Men” to “An Education” to “Revolutionary Road”, everything mid-twentieth century is once again having its moment. Perhaps it's some manifestation of the current economic crisis that leaves us nostalgic for an era of prosperity, or just the longing for simpler times.

In the 1950s and early 1960s, trends in home furnishings in the United States reflected a complex national mood high hopes and deep anxiety. At once optimistic about economic and technological progress, Americans were also chastened by the pervasive anxiety of the Cold War and the prospect of military conflict with the Soviet Union. It was not unlike the earlier part of this decade: unprecedented economic boom coupled with unprecedented fear. One way in which these impulses were manifested was in the trend for combining the sleek design of manufactured goods with more rustic handmade craft objects.

A panel discussion organized by Greenwich House Pottery with Pat Kirkham (Professor, Bard Graduate Center), Catherine Whalen (Assistant Professor, Bard Graduate Center) and Sarah Lichtman (Assistant Professor, Parsons - The New School for Design) hosted at the Museum of Arts and Design will investigate connections between studio craft and both elite and mass-market design during this period. This discussion is organized in association with “Studio Pottery and Mid-Century Style”, a period room installation at Greenwich House Potter that conjures up a living space that incorporates both the craft and design of this era. This installation, which will be open on January 7 and run until February 4, is curated by Sarah Archer in collaboration with Rago Arts (New Jersey), ReGeneration Furniture (NYC) and Astro-Turf Antiques (Brooklyn, NY). The show will include ceramics from the late 1950's and early to mid-1960's by Peter Voulkos, Gertrude and Otto Natzler and Lucie Rie, among others. Furniture will include pieces by Florence Knoll, Eero Saarinen and the Eameses.