A panel discussion on the occasion of the MAD exhibition.

Ever wonder how museums decide what objects to acquire for their collections? How about how they decide what to show in exhibitions? Get an inside look at how these decisions were made for the Museum of Arts and Design’s permanent collection show, 45 Stories in Jewelry: 1947 to Now, an exhibition celebrating the artists and supporters who have shaped the field of studio and contemporary jewelry in the US.

In the case of this project, which will be in the MAD galleries for years to come, a committee was assembled to debate all of the jewelry pieces in the collection and ultimately decide the criteria for which objects would be chosen and recommended for acquisition. Panelists include the committee members Erin Daily, Toni Greenbaum, Bella Neyman, Sasha Nixon, Timothy Veske-McMahon, and Brian Weissman, along with 45 Stories curator, Barbara Paris Gifford

“The effort to reach a new understanding of the Museum’s collection was a collaborative one. The selection process valued differences in approaches, materials, concepts, and the views the artists brought to their work.” – Erin Daily, advisory committee member