The daughter, granddaughter, and sister of carpenters, artist and material culture scholar BA Harrington carries craft lineage into contemporary practice. Part of a growing, intersectional cohort of women-identifying woodworkers, Harrington learned her trade, like many before her, by reproducing furniture forms of the past. Her solo exhibition, Suite Américaine, holds a reverence for the history of American furnituremaking, but is inflected with a contemporary feminist imagination. 

This body of work references late-seventeenth through early-nineteenth century dower chests, writing desks, and sewing tables, which were designed specifically for women but made by men. However, where these objects once stored and concealed the labor and craft skill of women, Harrington opens them. The six objects expose, activate, and celebrate their rich interiors, with linens and quilts spilling out of their wooden casings.

The use of French in the exhibition’s title, Suite Américaine, is a nod to the eighteenth century term for a furniture set and also allows the artist to feminize the word “American.” Similarly, the work on display acts as a feminist intervention on historic furniture. Harrington not only remakes the original forms with her own hands, asserting her technical skill, but also highlights the revolutionary potential of furniture to self-actualize the creative endeavors of women.

BA Harrington is the recipient of the Center for Craft’s inaugural Craft Research Fund Artist Fellowship. Each year this substantial mid-career grant is awarded to two artists who are revising, reclaiming, and advancing the history of craft through their work.

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How To View

Virtual Tour & Discussion

Thursday, Oct 14, 2021, 6-8 pm ET

Join us for a virtual tour of Suite Américaine, the inaugural Craft Research Fund Artist Fellowship exhibition by artist and material culture scholar, BA Harrington, followed by a discussion between Harrington and curators Laura Mays and Deirdre Visser. Deirdre Visser is the Curator of the Arts at the California Institute of Integral Studies and Laura Mays is the Program Director of the Fine Woodworking Program. Mays and Visser are themselves former Craft Research Fund recipients and co-curated the seminal exhibition Making a Seat at the Table: Women Transform Woodworking.

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In-Person

The Center is offering free, unguided visits and affordable tours of its exhibitions to the public. Guests can reserve a 30-minute visit to explore the current exhibitions, learn more about the Center’s national impact in their Craft Research Fund Study Collection, and enjoy interactive activities. The Center is open to the public Monday-Friday, 10 am - 6 pm. Hours of operation may be subject to change.

Center for Craft is monitoring the effects of COVID-19 on the community and following the instruction of federal, state, and local health departments. Our top priority is always the health and safety of our staff, coworkers, and visitors. At this time, the Center can only allow a maximum of five guests in its public space at once and will require the use of masks or face coverings by all visitors, including children. The Center reserves the right to refuse entry to any visitor that will not comply.

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