Nakashima Looks: Studio Furniture, Sponsored By Rago Auctions, Now Open At The James A. Michener Art Museum

Doylestown, PA: Rago Auctions is proud to support Nakashima Looks: Studio Furniture, the latest exhibition of Modern Craft to come to the James A. Michener Art Museum.

On view from March 2 until July 7, and curated by renowned artist Mira Nakashima, Nakashima Looks presents a keen exploration of the Michener’s Studio Furniture collection that reveals the museum’s commitment to elevating and exhibiting modern and contemporary craft. Included in the exhibition are fine examples of Mira Nakashima’s own work as well as that of her father, George Nakashima, presented alongside designs by Paul Evans (1931–1987), Jack Larimore (b. 1950), Robert Whitley (b. 1924), and Mark Sfirri (b. 1952), among others. Select loans round out Mira’s intimate look at craft furniture at the Michener, including pieces by Wharton Esherick (1887–1970), Harry Bertoia (1915–1978), Sam Maloof (1916–2009), and both generations of the Nakashima family. For a limited time, visitors will have the rare opportunity to immerse themselves in the Nakashima legacy as well as the broader context of furniture design on view in both the Nakashima Looks and The Art of Seating exhibitions.

Image: Mira Nakashima

“Founding Michener Executive Director Bruce Katsiff had the foresight to partner with Mira Nakashima-Yarnall to create the Nakashima Reading Room and now, it is my great privilege to work with Mira on this special exhibition. I was delighted she agreed to help us review our studio craft holdings, establish a roadmap for growth, and renew our commitment to this critically important art. It has been wonderful to work closely with Mira on this project, and I think audiences will love this intimate, insider’s view into the world of great American craft and design.”

- Dr. Kathleen V. Jameson; Executive Director, James A. Michener Museum of Art

"We are honored to be a part of the arts community where Mira and George Nakashima, as well as Paul Evans and Phil Powell, worked and lived.  Ever since William Langson Lathrop transformed New Hope, PA and Lambertville, NJ into an artist’s colony over a century ago, our towns have remained an idyllic bastion of the arts. It has been a privilege to know Mira as an artist, a neighbor, and most of all a friend and we are honored to support this celebration of her creative vision and the Michener's important mission.” 

- David Rago; Founding Partner, Rago Auctions 

Tickets to Nakashima Looks can be purchased on the Michener Art Museum’s website, https://www.michenerartmuseum.org/

Image: James A. Michener Art Museum

About Rago Auctions: Rago is a leading U.S. auction house with $35 million in sales annually. It serves thousands of sellers and buyers yearly with global reach, personal service and competitive commissions for single pieces, collections and estates. Rago's expertise encompasses 20th/21st century design; fine art; American, European, English and Asian decorative arts and furnishings; fine jewelry and coins/currency. An internationally known venue through which to buy and sell, it offers free valuations for personal property (from a single piece to collections), as well as USPAP compliant estate and appraisal services. Rago is located midway between Philadelphia and New York with satellite offices in Westchester/Connecticut.

About The James A. Michener Art Museum: The James A. Michener Art Museum collects, preserves, interprets and exhibits American art, and promotes the work of nationally and internationally known Delaware Valley artists of all eras and creative disciplines. The museum presents exhibitions that explore a variety of artistic expressions and offers diverse educational programs that develop a lifelong involvement in the arts. Throughout the year, the Michener Art Museum hosts a wide range of programs open to the public, including lectures, artists conversations, gallery talks, artist studio tours, dance performances, jazz and other musical performances, family-themed activities, and other events. The museum also offers a diverse selection of art classes for children and adults, which include instruction in drawing, painting, sculpting, and printmaking as well as programs for the public, schools, and teachers designed to support arts and STEAM education. The James A. Michener Art Museum is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums.

The Michener Art Museum is located at 138 South Pine St., Doylestown, PA. The Museum is open Tuesday through Friday, 10:00 am – 4:30 pm; Saturday 10:00 am – 5:00 pm and Sunday noon – 5:00 pm. For more information, visit MichenerArtMuseum.org or call 215.340.9800.