With These Hands

If you’re in NY, go check out the exhibition Craft Front and Center at MAD before it closes on Sunday! Then watch the documentary With These Hands and, finally, read my article about the history of the film and come nerd out with me about these somewhat obscure but exciting stories.

Craft Front and Center “brings together more than 70 iconic and lesser-known works to highlight key thematic touchpoints in craft’s history that have brought us to this moment.” Many of these pieces became part of MAD’s collection as a result of the seminal 1969 exhibition Objects: USA.

Accompanying Objects: USA, came the 1970 documentary With These Hands, which features excerpts on view at MAD and is available to watch online for the first time. I became mildly obsessed with this film a couple of years ago, which ultimately led to my research being published in the Journal of Modern Craft. I’m proud of being in such a respected publication, but even more so for shedding light on the lives of fascinating people—both those featured in the film and the team behind the camera.