3rd
February
2003
Folk Art, Modernism and the Index of American Design
“The Index of American Design was one of the most highly regarded of the 1930s New Deal art projects. Its aim was to compile and eventually publish a visual archive of decorative, folk, and popular arts made in America from the time of settlement to about 1900. Each object was recorded in a breathtakingly meticulous watercolor drawing. This exhibition will commemorate the 60th anniversary of the [National Gallery of Art]’s acquisition of the Index of American Design and will explore issues of folk art and national identity.”