From Frank Lloyd Wright to George Nakashima: Uncovering the John Bloom Bequest to Cranbrook Art Museum
January 26 – March 22, 2008
Members' Preview: Friday, January 25, 2008, 6:00-8:00 p.m.

From the earliest works of Frank Lloyd Wright to the more contemporary furniture of George Nakashima, Michigan native John Bloom (1935 – 2006) spent his life studying and collecting important objects of decorative art and design that span the course of the 20th century. He lived and worked with the objects that he loved, always hoping that these exceptional pieces would someday find a home at Cranbrook. Bloom ultimately bequeathed his collection to Cranbrook Art Museum. The collection as a whole reflects Bloom’s strong interests in the decorative arts of the Arts and Crafts movement, Art Deco metalwork, and mid-century design. Highlights of the Bloom bequest include seven stained glass windows from a variety of major buildings designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, a Luc Lanel-designed Art Deco vase for the prominent French manufacturer Christofle, and furniture by Modern masters such as Mies van der Rohe, Nakashima, Charles and Ray Eames, Finn Juhl and Vladimir Kagan. The exhibition showcases masterpieces never seen together before in a public exhibition, offering the visitor a rare opportunity to view the 20th century decorative objects through the eyes of this passionate collector.

Richard Knight: Photographing Saarinen
January 26 – March 22, 2008
Members' Preview to meet the artist: Friday, January 25, 2008, 6:00-8:00 p.m.

Richard Knight's photographs offer an unprecedented glimpse behind the scenes at the architectural practice and office of Eero Saarinen and Associates. His photographs cover the period from 1957 to Saarinen's death in 1961, when Saarinen was working on iconic projects like the Dulles International Airport Terminal, the former TWA Terminal at John F. Kennedy International Airport and the Gateway Arch in St. Louis. Working as Saarinen's "house photographer," Knight documented in black and white photographs both the professional process and personal dynamics of this celebrated office. Many of the photographs featured in this exhibition are collected in a recent monograph and personal memoir by Richard Knight published by William Stout Publishers, San Francisco, titled Saarinen's Quest: A Memoir of A Photographer. The book, which will be available for purchase in The Store at Cranbrook Art Museum, includes a foreword on Saarinen's artistic vision and office culture by Cesar Pelli, who began his career in the architect's office. Knight, who lives in California, is known today for his creative work as a sculptor. Before working for Eero Saarinen, he studied design at Cranbrook Academy of Art in the mid-1950s.

William Massie: An American House 08
March 7– September 14, 2008
Members' Preview: Friday, March 6, 2008, 6:00-8:00 p.m.

Richard Knight's photographs offer an unprecedented glimpse behind the scenes at the architectural practice and office of Eero Saarinen and Associates. His photographs cover the period from 1957 to Saarinen's death in 1961, when Saarinen was working on iconic projects like the Dulles International Airport Terminal, the former TWA Terminal at John F. Kennedy International Airport and the Gateway Arch in St. Louis. Working as Saarinen's "house photographer," Knight documented in black and white photographs both the professional process and personal dynamics of this celebrated office. Many of the photographs featured in this exhibition are collected in a recent monograph and personal memoir by Richard Knight published by William Stout Publishers, San Francisco, titled Saarinen's Quest: A Memoir of A Photographer. The book, which will be available for purchase in The Store at Cranbrook Art Museum, includes a foreword on Saarinen's artistic vision and office culture by Cesar Pelli, who began his career in the architect's office. Knight, who lives in California, is known today for his creative work as a sculptor. Before working for Eero Saarinen, he studied design at Cranbrook Academy of Art in the mid-1950s.

2008 Graduate Degree Exhibition of Cranbrook Academy of Art
April 19 – May 9, 2008
Members' Preview: Friday, April 18, 2008, 6:00-8:00 p.m.

Cranbrook Academy of Art is an internationally recognized school of art, design and architecture comprised of a community of working artists and students. Established in 1932, the Academy of Art's Graduate Program remains a "living studio of artistic invention" as envisioned by its founder, newspaper publisher and philanthropist George Booth. The prestigious two-year Graduate Program includes approximately 150 students working with ten Artists-in-Residence, each of whom heads one of the Academy's ten departments: Architecture, Ceramics, 2D Design, 3D Design, Fiber, Metalsmithing, Painting, Photography, Print Media, and Sculpture. Each April, as part of the requirements for earning either a Master of Fine Arts or Master of Architecture degree, the second-year Master's degree candidates present their thesis work in the annual Graduate Degree Exhibition.

Craft in America: Expanding Traditions
June 8 – September 14, 2008
Members' Preview and Oepning weekend Celebratrion: June 13-15, 2008

Craft in America: Expanding Traditions celebrates the rich legacy of an American artform. The exhibition is a landmark historical survey, touring nationally, which features 150 exemplary works that celebrate the aesthetic achievements in the field. Spanning more than one hundred years, beginning with the Industrial Revolution, Craft in America explores the many cultures and movements that have contributed to the development and refinement of American crafts during the last century. The history of Cranbrook and the Academy of Art figure centrally into this exhibition with more than 17 objects from the Collection of Cranbrook Art Museum.