Architecture of Art
media release: Feb 17–May 18, 2025
This exhibition explores the interdisciplinary creativity of Wharton Esherick (1887–1970), the famed American artist best known as the father of the Studio Furniture Movement. Esherick considered his hillside home and studio, now the Wharton Esherick Museum (WEM), the best representation of his iconoclastic vision, calling it “an autobiography in three dimensions.” Built between 1926 and 1966, his unconventional escape on the verdant slopes of Valley Forge Mountain near Philadelphia houses almost three thousand iconic works of art from across Esherick’s seven decades of artistic practice.
The Crafted World brings selections from this rich and rarely loaned collection to a broader public, including many objects never before seen except in Esherick’s home and studio. Detailing the artist’s career from his early woodcut illustrations for books by members of the avant-garde literati to his revolutionary re-imagining of furniture forms as organic sculpture, works will be presented in thematic vignettes that invite visitors into Esherick’s story and bring the essence of his creative world into the gallery.
Events:
‘The Crafted World of Wharton Esherick’ Exhibition Celebration, Mar 19, 2025 | 5:30 p.m.: This event will include a special hand carving demonstration by Katie Hudnall, the Head of UW-Madison’s Woodworking and Furniture Program, who will showcase techniques inspired by Esherick’s innovative approach to woodworking. Guests will enjoy an array of hosted appetizers, a cash bar, and the chance to connect with fellow art enthusiasts. Registration encouraged, but not required to attend.
Architecture of Art: A Wharton Esherick Panel Discussion, Apr 25, 2025 | 4 p.m. Panelists: Emily Zilber, director of curatorial affairs and strategic partnerships, Wharton Esherick Museum; Tom Loeser, former head of UW–Madison Woodworking and Furniture Program, Art Department; Katie Hudnall, head of UW–Madison Woodworking and Furniture Program, Art Department; Moderator: Jodi Throckmorton, chief curator, John Michael Kohler Arts Center. Registration encouraged, but not required.
Sunday Tour: The Crafted World of Wharton Esherick, Mar 9, 2025 | 12 p.m. Advanced reservation encouraged. Walk-ins will be welcome as space allows.
Hands-On Woodblock Printmaking Workshops with UW Prof. John Hitchcock 3-13-2025 or 4-17-2025, 5–6 p.m. Bring an apron or wear clothes you don’t mind getting inky. Register to save a spot: