Expanding the voices represented in MAD’s permanent collection, OUT of the Jewelry Box considers the importance of queer perspectives in the world of studio and contemporary art jewelry. The exhibition showcases an extraordinary gift from Ron Porter and Joe Price, who have collected and worn art jewelry throughout their forty-one-year relationship, nine of those legally married.
On view are 56 newly acquired works from The Porter Price Collection by queer artists and their allies, and 22 pieces by queer artists already represented in MAD’s permanent collection. The jewelry dates from the 1950s to the present, and stories from the artists and collectors about the role of jewelry in the construction of queer histories and identities accompany each work.
OUT and Aloud
Now available on the MAD Mobile Guide on the Bloomberg Connects app, fifteen artists, collectors, and allies narrate personal stories related to the studio and contemporary art jewelry on view in OUT of the Jewelry Box. The recordings speak to the expansiveness of queer identity and its many forms of expression. Listen in the exhibition or at home.
Out of the Jewelry Box, part of the Craft Front & Center exhibition series, has been made possible by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities and Museum of Arts and Design together: Democracy demands wisdom. The exhibition is also supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature. Research was supported by a Craft Research Fund grant from the Center for Craft. Additional support from The Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation.
Installation view of OUT of the Jewelry Box. Photo: Jenna Bascom