New York Silver: Then and Now
Museum of the City of New York June 2017 — May 2018
New York Silver: Then and Now linked the rich history of silversmithing in New York City to present-day artistic practice. It featured newly commissioned works by leading metalsmiths, created in response to historical objects from the Museum’s collection. The exhibition opened a dialogue between past and present, pairing historic pieces with remarkable new work by contemporary artists.
Internationally recognized artists from the New York area who were invited to participate include designers Dror Benshetrit and Ted Muehling; architect/interior designers William Georgis and Sheila Bridges; artists Michele Oka Doner, Kiki Smith, and Chitra Ganesh; metalsmiths Myra Mimlitsch-Gray and Wendy Yothers, and many others.
“The exhibition proves that virtuosic traditions of New York silversmiths endure in this digital age.”
-The Magazine Antiques
Sheila Bridges, designer; Woody Tony, CAD design; Susan Kay Walker, silversmith, Tarnish, 2017. Silver, forged, and laser-engraved.
Metalsmiths, artists, architects, and designers were invited to the museum for a hands-on study of New York silver from the museum’s collection. I lectured to them about the history of silver in American society and about each of the objects shared during our study day. Each participant chose one object to inspire a new work of art that was also relevant to their own practice. The installation included the paired works, old with new, allowing visitors to compare and contrast. I worked closely with the artists as they developed their ideas.
Tiffany & Co., Trophy Bowl, 1889. Sterling silver, gilding.
Brian Weissman, designer and maker; Daniel Jewelry Casting, casting, Pasta-loving Cup, 2017. Silver-plated bronze, cast and fabricated.
Amy Roper Lyons, Women’s Work Goblet #2, 2017. Silver, 3D-printed and cast, hand-polished and patinated; enameled.
Wendy Yothers, designer and artist, Karbra Co., casting, Gotham tête-à-tête beverage service, 2017. Silver; raised, formed, fabricated, cast, chased.
Preston Jones, Odre de Maguey Agave Pitcher, 2017. Silver, forged, repousséd, and gilded.
Aranda/Lasch & Marcelo Coelho Studio(Benjamin Aranda, Joaquín Bonifaz and Marcelo Coelho), Silver Light, 2017, PET film, silver ink, silver epoxy, LEDs, with inkjet printing.
Ted Muehling, Lichen box, 2017. Silver, fabricated, repousséd, and chased.
“The artists and designers have explored the silver objects of another world — that of New York of the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, and thoughtfully interpreted their forms to speak to contemporary concerns. Doing so in a precious metal, the material of heirlooms and presentation vases, gives the effort the respect it’s due.”
—Sarah Archer, Hyperallergic
Myra Mimlitsch Gray super-sized the elegant 18th century engraving on Benjamin Wyncoop’s tankard in her magisterial Magnification: Engraving, 2017.
Amy Roper Lyon’s Women’s Work #1 kneels near its inspiration, the mermaids who raise the gigantic bowl of Tiffany’s Goelet Prize for Sloops of 1889.
In Their Own Words
View the following videos to hear the artists describe their creative process, and how they drew inspiration of the Museum’s collection in conceiving and executing their new works.