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CANDACEWHEELER
The Art and Enterprise of
American Textile Design:
1875-1900
EMILYCLARK2013
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Curatorial Statement
Interpretive Goals
Audience
Object Placement
Concept Map
Visitor Experience
Visitor Paths
Object Walkthrough
Entrance Treatment
ElevationsInteractive
Exit Treatment
Graphics
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CURATORIAL STATEMENT
In the decades following the Civil War, the second phase of the Industrial Revolution radically altered the
socio-economic fabric of the United States. Newly-developing technologies made industrial production
ever faster and ever cheaper, causing traditional economic systems to be displaced by new roles and
relationships. The shifting landscape would have a signicant impact on American design, with changing
expectations for design integrity and affordability coming from the buying public, as well as on American
women, whose burgeoning struggle for economic empowerment would mark the beginning of modern
feminism.
Textile designer Candace Wheeler set some instrumental precedents on both these fronts, and her
career is a unique window into this period of American history. Her passion for social stewardship coupled
with her enthusiasm for design spurred Wheeler to create the Society of Decorative Art and The Womans
Exchange in the early part of her career, attracting the cream of New York City society to her cause
even though she was a middle class woman with no impressive social standing of her own. The mission
of these organizations to provide economic independence to middle class women would be a theme
resonant with Wheelers entire career.
As she began to come into her own as a designer working with Louis Comfort Tiffany, Wheeler turnedher attention more towards the eld of textiles, where her innovations in weaving technologies and her
championing of a specically American design style kept pace with, and to a large extent informed, the
changing tastes of the American public. She was already the acknowledged national expert on textile
design when she struck out on her own to form Associated Artists, and her work there was pivotal in
professionalizing the eld of interior design and in growing the market for design products by utilizing
technology to produce inventory that was affordable for middle class families.
The arc of Candace Wheelers career was driven by her entrepreneurial vision: she saw problems she
wanted to x and she leveraged her passion for design and her sense of social stewardship to attract and
maintain relationships with those in the social and industrial worlds who could help her fashion solutions
to those problems. The surviving artifactual output of her career is highly collaborative, and the impact of
other people and events that inspired or collaborated with Wheeler will have representation in the show.
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INTERPRETIVE GOALS
The goal of Candace Wheeler: The Art and Enterprise of American Textile
Designis to impart a holistic understanding of the impact of Wheelers career
in the context of socio-economic and design history by answering the following
questions:
Why is Candace Wheelers career important to us today?
How did the work of Candace Wheeler promote womens equality?
What was the social and economic context in which Candace Wheeler
launched her career?
What design/philanthropic projects and relationships helped Candace
Wheeler launch/maintain her career?
In what ways could Candace Wheeler be considered an entrepreneur or
innovator?
What is Candace Wheelers importance in an art historical context?
What were Candace Wheelers major projects/commissions?
A complete picture or concept of what is being addressed in the exhibition
should be apparent to a visitor who goes through every piece of information
and artifact, as well as those visitors who choose to spend less time in
the show. At the same time, the goal is not to overwhelm the visitor with a
plethora of textual information to wade through, and as such, the interpretive
strategy of the show will involve some of the following techniques:
Use the designed environment to convey contextual information.The
environment will incorporate architectural molding and wood paneling, as
well as draping fabric and cord to convey a period setting, and as a way
of delineating space. At the same time, modern and industrial materials
and structures will be present to emphasize the context of the Industrial
Revolution and Wheelers involvement with manufacturing innovations.
Provide most contextual information in the form of documentary lms.
Film areas will be appropriately placed throughout the exhibition near
relevant artifacts and graphics, and seating will be provided at each area.
Text labels for artifacts will be simple.The body text will be tailored
to briey explain how a particular artifact addresses one of the above
questions. Labels will include graphic cues to identify which question or
questions (or informational tracks) are being addressed through which
artifacts/labels.
Provide more than one linear track in the layout of the show.Much of the
in-depth information regarding social and historical context will be found
around the perimeter of the space, with the major periods of Wheelers
career as exemplied by artifacts from Associated Artists and her work on
The Womans Building at the Worlds Columbian Exposition will be placed
more centrally.
Non-digital interactives will be used to illustrate concepts of process and
technology related to textile production.
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AUDIENCE
The audience for Candace Wheeler: The Art and Enterprise of American Textile Designis men and
women of retirement age, who have a general previous knowledge of the social and possibly the art
historical context of the time period, if not previous knowledge of Candace Wheeler specically.
As a group, their personal connection to the content of the show could be based on the following shared
experiences:
They will be able to appreciate the wildly changing economic context of Wheelers career due to their
own experience of several successive nancial crises.
As a result, they will understand the comfort brought by economic self-sufciency, especially when the
opportunity is extended towards groups with previously little economic agency.
They will be able to appreciate the wildly changing social context of Wheelers career due to their
experience of the social upheaval of the 1960s and 1970s.
They will be able to appreciate the imagination and drive of Wheelers entrepreneurial activity due to
their experience of growing up during the rise of the technological age, and subsequently, the digital
age (familiarity with advances in industry and technology).
They will identify with Wheelers drive to be a positive force within her family and within her larger
social context (this concept also touches upon feminism).
They will hopefully appreciate the attempt to impart a holistic understanding of Wheeler and the
impact of her career in a way that reduces the exertion of physical and intellectual effort to a
manageable level.
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OB
JECTPLACEME
NT
INTROGRAPHICSANDVIDEO
EMBROIDERYINTERACTIVE
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INTROGRAPHICSANDVIDEO
EM
BROIDERYINTERACTIVE
READINGTABLE
READINGTABLE
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VISITOR EXPERIENCE
An environmental graphic featuring a portrait of Candace Wheeler
is set roughly ve and a half feet into the entrance and acts as
a draw through the entryway. Upon entering the gallery, a visitor
can go either to the left (towards the section labeled Social &
Economic Contexts) or the right (towards the section labeled
Mentors, Partners & Relationships).
Social & Economic Contexts and Mentors, Partners &
Relationships are each discrete linear unitsa visitor would beable to browse either of these spaces without needing to see one
or the other rst. However, chronologically speaking, the objects in
Social & Economic Contexts do come before Mentors, Partners
& Relationships.
The show assumes that most people will be entering the space
from the left hand side (as you look at the plan view of the
gallery), but those entering from the right will have the same visual
entrance experience. The exit treatment uses the same large
scale portrait of Wheeler about ve and a half feet inset from the
doorway.
The section labeled, Legacy easily serves as introductorymaterial to the rest of the gallery content for those entering
from the right hand side, just as it serves as a summation for
those visitors who entered from the left. Furthermore, the two
chronologically linear sections (Social & Economic Contexts and
Mentors, Partners & Relationships) can be read backwards as
well as forwards.
SOCIAL & ECONOMIC CONTEXTS
This section features Candace Wheelers early work, selected
portraits of Candace and Tom Wheeler, artifacts from the
Centennial International Exhibition in Philadelphia in 1876, andenvironmental graphics showing the Metropolitan Sanitary Fair,
and the Centennial International Exhibition.
An introductory panel with with an inset video featuring a short
biography of Candace Wheeler is placed on the opposite side of
Wheelers large scale entrance portrait.
The objets and graphics in this section will answer the following
questions:
Why is Candace Wheelers career important to us today?
blah
What was the social and economic context in which Candace
Wheeler launched her career?
MENTORS, PARTNERS & RELATIONSHIPS
This section shows the progression of Candace Wheelers design
career from her earliest involvement with Louis C. Tiffany to the
founding of Associated Artists, and highlights the various design
mentors, partners, and relationships that she leveraged along the
way. The section begins with examples of innovations in textile
manufacture, on which Wheeler collaborated with the Cheney
Brothers
The objets and graphics in this section will answer the following
questions:
What design/philanthropic projects and relationships helped
Candace Wheeler launch/maintain her career?
blah
In what ways could Candace Wheeler be considered an
entrepreneur or innovator?
blah
What were Candace Wheelers major projects/commissions?
blah
How did the work of Candace Wheeler promote womens
equality?
ART HISTORY
This section forms a ring around the two inner galleries dened
by the structural columns, and answers the question: What is
Candace Wheelers importance in an art historical context?
British Infuences
These works are placed in proximity to environmental gr
featuring the Centennial International Exhibition to furth
upon the visitor the impact this event had on Wheelers
career. Two of the works are by British designers, includ
screen attributed to the Royal School of Art Needlework
section also includes one early work by Wheeler that em
these inuences.
American Style
These works are placed in proximity to the section chron
rise of Wheelers career. They feature styles that differ f
of the British designers in their rejection of more conven
ower patterns in favor of more naturally rendered plant
their utilization of a stronger, more intense color palette
works stand as good examples of the style, but referenc
be be made to stylistic choices throughout the rest of th
ENTRANCE
FOUR POTENTIAL VISITOR PA
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ASSOCIATED ARTISTS
This section exhibits a selection of works by Associated Artists. It is
positioned centrally, along with the section labeled The Womans
Building, as the pinacle of Wheelers textile design career. This
section and the The Womans Building can potentially stand alone
as fast track galleries if visitors have too little time to browse the
entire space.
The objets and graphics in this section will answer the followingquestions:
How did the work of Candace Wheeler promote womens
equality?
blah
In what ways could Candace Wheeler be considered an
entrepreneur or innovator?
blah
What were Candace Wheelers major projects/commissions?
THE WOMANS BUILDING
This section attempts to make up for the fact that there are muchfewer artifacts that represent this important project in Wheelers
career by imparting the sense of an enclosure with large scale
environmental graphics that dene the space.
The objets and graphics in this section will answer the following
questions:
How did the work of Candace Wheeler promote womens
equality?
blah
What were Candace Wheelers major projects/commissions?
LEGACY
This section balances out the entrance portraits of Candace Wheeler
with an oil by her daughter, Dora Wheeler, of Candace in her old age.
Additionally, the section features embroideries by Dora Wheeler, as
her own work as an artist and designer carried on after her mothers
death and embodied many of Candaces artistic values. Dora Wheeler
was also responsible for promoting her mothers legacy by donating
the initial collection of textiles to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
This section also backtracks somewhat to address the fou
the Society of Decorative Art, and contextualizing it as a m
has been often repeated. Video will highlight Wheelers co
on the project, and demonstrate how the connections she
during these years would launch her later design career.
The objets and graphics in this section will answer the fol
questions:
Why is Candace Wheelers career important to us toda
blah
How did the work of Candace Wheeler promote wome
equality?
blah
What design/philanthropic projects and relationships
Candace Wheeler launch/maintain her career?
blah
In what ways could Candace Wheeler be considered a
entrepreneur or innovator?
blah
What were Candace Wheelers major projects/commis
ENTRAN
CE
EXIT
ENTRANCE
EXIT
EXIT
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OBJECTWA
LKTHROUGH
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OBJECTWA
LKTHROUGH
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OBJECTWA
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OBJECTWA
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OBJECTWA
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OBJECTWA
LKTHROUGH
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T
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ENT
RANCE
TREATMENT
limestone
masonry
dimensional
brass letters
steel
tubing
tone-on-tone
striped brocade walnut
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tone-on-tone
wallpaper gilded framessteel
tubing
tone-on-tone
striped brocade walnut
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ELEV
ATIONS
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steel tubing
wooden
door beads
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ELEV
ATIONS
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steel tubing
single color
embroidery
The interactive is a community embroidery project featuring simple ower designs. Visistors will ll in colored areas marked on a loose knit ground
with a single color thread, which will be much thicker than typical embroidery thread, woven using a blunt stylus-type tool rather than a needlefor
safety and ease of use.
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ELEV
ATIONS
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ELEV
ATIONS
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LOOKa
ndFEE
L
The overall look of the gallery combines Victorian
details with clean design and modern, including
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some industrial, elements. This strategy will
emphasize Candace Wheelers dedication to
design for industry and keep the modern visitor
from being overwhelmed by too much extraneous
visual stimuli, though a sense of the period is
conveyed through such details.
Priory: 146 pt
Gotham Extra Light Regular: 53 pt
Gotham Extra Light Regular All Caps: 28 pt
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GRA
PHICS
ExhibitionPoster:
24HX20W
CAND
The
Artand
Enterprise
OCTOB
ER
10,
2001-JA
NUARY6,
2002
Gotham Extra Light Regular All Caps: 28 pt
Priory: 101 pt
Gotham Extra Light Regular All Caps: 45 pt
Gotham Light: 30 pt
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TextPanel:24HX20W CA
ND
AC
AL
IF
EINA
RT
ANDB
US
INE
The
bu
sylifeo
fCandace
Whee
ler
Gotham Light: 30 pt
Kabel Light: 21 pt
Fig.1.Sarony&Company,C
andaceWheeler,ca.1
870
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GRA
PHICS Gotham Medium Regular: 20 pt
Gotham Book Italic: 20 pt
Gotham Book Regular: 20 pt
Gotham Book Regular: 18 pt
Object Label: 7.25 H X 8 W
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Label Rail: 12 H X 28.5 W
Gotham Book Regular: 25 pt
Gotham Medium Regular: 20 pt
Gotham Book Italic: 20 pt
Gotham Book Regular: 20 pt
Gotham Book Regular: 18 pt
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