Modern and Contemporary Craft: Selections from the Robert L. Pfannebecker Collection

Exhibition History

"John McQueen: The Language of Containment", Renwick Gallery, National Museum of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., March 20 - July 5, 1992. Illustrated on p. 27 of the accompanying catalogue.

Artist Biography

John McQueen was born in Oakland, Illinois in 1943. He earned a B.A. in 1971 from the University of South Florida, Tampa and a M.F.A. in 1975 from Tyler School of Art, Temple University, Philadelphia. A self-proclaimed “maker,” McQueen is best known for his sculptural basketry constructed from natural, gathered materials. Redefining the conventional form, his work investigates the concept of containment, explores the connection between humans and the natural environment, and continually pushes the boundary between art and craft. McQueen was the recipient of the National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship in 1977, 1979, and 1986. His work has been featured in numerous solo and group exhibitions, including a solo show at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in 1992. Examples can be found in the permanent collections of institutions worldwide, including the Renwick Gallery at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American Art; the Museum of Arts and Design, New York; the Racine Art Museum; and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.