By the 1920s, jazz was not just the latest trend in popular music—it had become synonymous with American modernity. Explore the intersections of jazz with modern art and design in the 1920s-50s with curator Nonie Gadsden, Katharine Lane Weems Senior Curator of American Decorative Arts and Sculpture during an in-person tour of the recently installed Art and Jazz Gallery at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

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“Art and Jazz” is part of a new suite of galleries titled “Stories Artists Tell: Art of the Americas, the 20th Century.” Opened in May 2022, each room presents a single chapter in the larger history of 20th-century art from the Americas. Together they span place and time, and explore different themes—from Native perspectives on the Southwest to ways artists reckoned with the traumas of World War II, from the knotty politics of Latin American realism to the vibrant links between art, design, and jazz. As in reading an anthology, visitors are invited to consider each space independently, or to think about the threads that weave together a larger whole.

Many of the artists represented in these rooms devoted their lives and careers to resisting and reimagining conventions. Through their work, these galleries tell stories about boundaries crossed, borders challenged. Icons from the MFA’s collection appear alongside works by under-recognized artists, creating combinations, juxtapositions, and connections that make room for questions as well as possibilities.

To acknowledge the cultural heritage of many visitors, as well as some of the artists with work on view, introductory gallery texts are presented in both Spanish and English.

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Nonie Gadsden is the author of the recent book America Goes Modern: The Rise of the Industrial Designer.   The book can be purchased here: https://mfashop.com/america-goes-modern/  

On May 2 at 4:00pm, Ms. Gadsden will also offer an online presentation of her new book as part of Boston Design Week.

For more information, click here.