Craft in America: L.A. Made

This exhibition is installed at Los Angeles International Airport Terminal 1 (Southwest) and is co-produced by Los Angeles World Airports and City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs

Los Angeles has been an epicenter for craft in contemporary art since the mid 20th century. This grouping of sculptural objects is filled with revelations about the evolving nature of contemporary craft in the region. Today, the boundaries between media, the utilitarian, and the conceptual, as well as around design, art, and craft have eroded and become an open field for artists. These selected objects are indicative of the breadth and range of materials that artists draw upon to create art in the 21st century including ceramic, glass, fiber, metal, and wood.

For decades, these exemplary eight L.A. artists have contributed to the broadening of the conversation of what art can be. Beyond their individual works, these artists have also contributed deeply as teachers, influencing countless other artists with their diverse craft practices. They each manipulate materials to new ends. Some innovate through selection of material, while others expand the lexicon of techniques used to produce work. They employ abstraction to very different ends: figuration, reflections of nature, depictions of L.A. life, studies of form, and politically charged messages. All of these artists explore the metaphorical potential of their materials and draw upon historical precedent to imbue their work with meaning and beauty. Beyond the realm of design, these sculptural works help redefine how craft is viewed on the world stage.

This project is supported by a grant from the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs. https://culturela.org/