Can Craft Save America?

From weathervanes and trade signs to quilts, carvings, and painted portraiture, American folk art encompasses a wide range of handicraft practices dating back to the 17th century that symbolize ingenuity, independence, and pride, key values of American identity. The term, which emerged in the early twentieth century, has evolved over time, reflecting changes in the nation’s idealized sense of self and its aspirations for the future.

How has craft shaped ideas of American identity? The American Folk Art Museum, Scholar Namita Gupta Wiggers, art historian Angela Miller, and artist Sunny A. Smith offer a critical conversation exploring the intersections of craft, patriotism, and nation-building. On the occasion of the exhibition Folk Nation: Crafting Patriotism in the United States and the nation’s 250th anniversary, the panel will examine how American folk art can both reflect and challenge our ideas of the United States and its history.