AMES, Iowa -- David Revere McFadden, chief curator and vice president for programs and collections at the Museum of Arts and Design in New York, will speak at Iowa State University's College of Design on Monday, Aug. 24. He curated the college's ongoing "30 and Beyond" alumni exhibition.
McFadden's lecture, "The Blur Zone: Art, Craft and Design Today," will be at 7:30 p.m. in Kocimski Auditorium, 101 College of Design. It is free and open to the public.
"Over the past decade, a profound shift has taken place in both theory and practice in the fields of art, craft and design," McFadden said. "Once distinct modes of production, criticism and consumption, these fields have collided and interpenetrated to such a degree that a new category of work-as yet unnamed-has resulted."
McFadden will explore this phenomenon in his presentation, highlighting issues and circumstances informing "crossover" artists and designers today.
Before joining the Museum of Arts and Design, McFadden served as curator of decorative arts and assistant director for the Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, Smithsonian Institution from 1978 to 1995. He was president of the International Council of Museums' Decorative Arts and Design Committee for six years.
McFadden has organized more than 140 exhibitions on decorative arts, design and craft, covering developments from the ancient world to the present day. He has published more than 100 catalogs, essays, articles and reviews, and has lectured extensively.
McFadden is a three-time recipient of the Presidential Design Award. He is an associate member of the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths, London; Knight First Class, Order of the Lion of Finland; Knight Commander, Order of the Northern Star of Sweden; and Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres of France.
A public reception, in conjunction with McFadden's lecture, the dedication of the college's new building addition and the presentation of the 2009 Christian Petersen Design Award, will be from 6 to 7 p.m. in Gallery 181 and the Lyle E. Lightfoot Forum, College of Design.
"30 and Beyond: College of Design Alumni Exhibition" features 30 alumni works selected by McFadden. The show is ongoing until noon Sept. 26 in Gallery 181, College of Design. Hours are: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, through Aug. 21. Beginning Aug. 24 until Sept. 26, it will be open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursdays. On the Sundays of Aug. 30, Sept. 13 and 20, the exhibition will be open 1 to 4 p.m. It is free and open to the public
An online exhibition of submissions by 206 alumni of the college and its predecessor programs is at http://www.design.iastate.edu/30/alumnishow.php
