The Shakers

The Shakers, a visionary American religious community founded in the late eighteenth century, have left a lasting imprint on modern design and architecture. Their simple and timeless objects are considered paragons of good design, and their buildings are seen as precursors to functional architecture, rooted in vernacular traditions and regional materials. Generations of artists and designers worldwide have been inspired by the Shaker's minimalist, utilitarian designs as well as their principles centered around communal living, equality, and pacifism. The Shakers: A World in the Making explores the enduring relevance of Shaker values and craftsmanship. The publication is lavishly illustrated with new photographs of iconic Shaker objects and buildings as well as historic material and works by contemporary artists and designers who critically examine the Shaker ethos in today's world. With contributions by Glenn Adamson, Irene Cheng, Johann Hinrich Claussen, Amie Cunat, Aaron Betsky, Jeffrey De Blois, Jerry Grant, Chris Liljenberg Halstrøm, David Hartt, Mea Hoffmann, Sharon Duane Koomler, Sarah Margolis-Pineo, Christien Meindertsma, Finnegan Shannon, Kameelah Janan Rasheed, Shoshana Resnikoff, Hallie Ringle, Zoë Ryan, Cauleen Smith, Mabel O. Wilson and Reggie Wilson.

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The Shakers: A World in the Making aims to both examine the lasting impact of the Shaker legacy as well as the more unexpected facets of their production, ideology and way of life from a contemporary perspective.

Established in the 18th century, the Shakers were a free church that embraced principles of social equality, communal property and pacifism, viewing labour and design as expressions of their faith. The Shakers' radically simple, functional objects have had a profound influence on modern design, inspiring generations of artists, architects and designers up to the present day. The Shakers: A World in the Making accompanies the eponymous exhibition - designed by the Milan-based studio Formafantasma - which will showcase a wide range of Shaker furniture, architecture, tools and commercial goods. Works by contemporary artists and designers enter in dialogue with the historic exhibits, reflecting on the Shakers' enduring relevance.

The publication includes a rich array of thematic essays contextualizing the Shakers within the wider design, architecture and art canon, detailed studies of selected exhibits as well as personal contributions by the participating artist. Contemporary object and architectural photography offers a fresh perspective on one of the most compelling communal experiments of recent centuries.

With contributions by Glenn Adamson, Aaron Betsky, Jeffrey de Blois, Amie Cunat, David Hartt, Chris L. Halstrøm, Mea Hoffmann, Christien Meindertsma, Sarah Margolis-Pineo, Kameelah Janan Rasheed, Shoshana Resnikoff and others.