Overview
The Index of American Design was one of the most significant undertakings of the Federal Art Project -- the visual arts arm of the Works Progress Administration. Part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal, this ambitious initiative set out to discover and document an authentic American style in everyday objects. The curators of the Index combed the country for art of the machine age -- from carved carousel horses to engraved powder horns to woven coverlets -- created by artisans for practical use. In their search for a true American artistic identity, they also sought furniture designed by regional craftsmen laboring in isolation from European traditions. Kentucky by Design offers the first comprehensive examination of the objects from the Bluegrass State featured in this historic venture. It showcases a wide array of offerings, including architecture, furniture, ceramics, musical instruments, textiles, clothing, and glass- and metalworks. The Federal Art Project played an important role in documenting and preserving the work of Shaker artists from the Pleasant Hill and South Union communities, and their creations are exhibited in this illuminating catalog. Beautifully illustrated with both the original watercolor depictions and contemporary, art-quality photographs of the works, this book is a lavish exploration of the Commonwealth's distinctive contribution to American culture and modern design. Features contributions from Jean M. Burks, Erika Doss, Jerrold Hirsch, Lauren Churilla, Larrie Currie, Michelle Ganz, Tommy Hines, Lee Kogan, Ron Pen, Janet Rae, Shelly Zegart, Mel Hankla, Philippe Chavance, Kate Hesseldenz, Madeleine Burnside, and Allan Weiss.
Full Product Details
Author: Andrew Kelly ,
Madeleine Burnside ,
Philippe Chavance ,
Lauren Churilla
Publisher: The University Press of Kentucky
Imprint: The University Press of Kentucky
Dimensions:
Width: 22.90cm
, Height: 3.60cm
, Length: 30.50cm
Weight: 2.177kg
ISBN: 9780813155678
ISBN 10: 0813155673
Pages: 328
Publication Date: 31 July 2015
Audience:
College/higher education
,
Professional and scholarly
,
Tertiary & Higher Education
,
Professional & Vocational
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active
Availability: Available To Order
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Reviews
Layers of Kentucky history unfold in the illustrations of ingeniously designed everyday objects in this luxurious volume. The accompanying essays disclose stories of their provenance and purpose. Together, they focus in to reveal something about a uniquely American design during the centuries leading up to the early 1900s. -- Lexington Herald-Leader
Kentucky by Design will be of interest to those studying Kentucky history as well as folk studies, anthropology, political science/government, museum studies, historic preservation/public history, and cultural studies. The essays in the book touch broadly upon many timely subjects, such as regionalism and cultural intervention. -- Amanda Fickey, Assistant Professor of Intercultural Geography & Coordinator of Appalachian Studies at Union College
Author Information
Andrew Kelly, a Helena Rubinstein Fellow of the Whitney Museum of American Art, maintains an international clientele of museums, foundations, artist estates, corporations, and private collectors. He has provided services to many prominent institutions, including Sotheby’s New York, Lisbon Ajuda National Palace Museum, Russian State Museum at the Marble Palace, Tate Gallery and Tate Britain London, and Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum.
