A Focus on Wood

Selected by members of the Burchfield Penney’s curatorial staff, A Focus on Wood, is part of an occasional series of exhibitions that consider essential aspects of art in craft media. When considering the role of craft art as part of the larger conversation of fine arts, it is frequently the material that is used as a signifier.

For this exhibition the curatorial staff at the Burchfield Penney has worked collectively, with each member of the group selecting one or more work. The result is that through differing perspectives a broad understanding of the media is represented. Selections made for the exhibition represent diverse approaches to the medium.  Finely crafted furniture is juxtaposed with found object sculpture and raw wood carved or cut by hand. 

Staff members who participated in this exhibition were also asked to write a short statement about the work that they chose.  Some chose to write about the artists and their artwork, while others chose to write about their own personal reflections. Some chose to use humor. Objects selected for this exhibition include works from the Burchfield Penney permanent collection, the Charles E. Burchfield Archives and a promised gift.