Exhibition Curated by Helen W. Drutt English (BFA '52) Brings Tyler to Sweden’s Nationalmuseum
An exhibition curated by Tyler alum Helen W. Drutt English (BFA '52), Beauty and the Unexpected: Modern and Contemporary Crafts, on view at the Nationalmuseum in Sweden, continues Drutt’s extensive legacy of ushering contemporary American crafts onto the global stage.
The show features several Tyler faculty and alumni, including Ceramics Assistant Professor Roberto Lugo, Assistant Professor and Program Head of Metals/Jewelry/CAD-CAM Doug Bucci (MFA ’98), Professor Emeritus and Tyler Jewelry and Metals program founder Stanley Lechtzin, Eleanor Moty (MFA '71), Professor Emeritus Theodore (Ted) Hallman (BFA and BSEd, ‘56), Adjunct Professor of Ceramics George Rodriguez, the late Paula Winokur (BFA and BSEd ‘58), the late Robert Winokur (BFA '56), and late Professor Emeritus Rudolf Staffel. The exhibition presents 81 works that span from the 1950s through the present day, ranging in scale from small pieces of jewelry to furniture, wall pieces, and textiles.
A pioneer in the field of contemporary crafts as an educator, gallerist, and curator since the 1960s, Drutt has championed and promoted American craft internationally and helped to elevate studio craft into the realm of fine art.
Following a 2014 exhibition that she curated for the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Gifts from America, 1948–2013, the Nationalmuseum’s director invited Drutt to assemble a collection of objects drawn from the field of American crafts.
Drutt worked on the exhibition pro bono, with no acquisition funds, over a period of four years. All of the featured works were donated by the artists, or by patrons and collectors whom Drutt contacted.
Beauty and the Unexpected includes a diverse selection of artists working in ceramics, metals, textiles, and furniture. Drutt hopes that the exhibition serves as a conduit of education and dialogue, imparting visitors with a deeper awareness of and appreciation for contemporary American craft.
“I hope that the exhibition will educate the Swedish public about the very strong, dominant, and important craft movement in the United States,” Drutt said. “I hope that these works enable a discourse with the works that are being created in Scandinavia, as well. It’s important to understand that works in America have a relationship with works that are being created in Scandinavia, and to try and understand their aesthetic relationship.”
Following the exhibition’s run, which was recently extended through the end of January 2025, all the works will become part of the Nationalmuseum’s permanent collection.
“Because I am committed to the craft world and the craft field, my interest is in seeing that American work is also shown abroad,” Drutt said. “I like to implement or initiate exhibitions in which American crafts are not only seen overseas, but also become a part of the museum's collections.”
Beauty and the Unexpected: Modern and Contemporary Crafts is on view at the Nationalmuseum in Stockholm through January 25, 2025.