- Currier Museum of Art
- Sep 11, 2025
- 3 min read
Updated: 5 days ago
Celebrating the boundary-breaking artists of the Pattern and Decoration movement, this dazzling exhibition is on view through April 12, 2026.
Category: Pattern & Decoration
Credit: Miriam Schapiro, Atrium of Flowers, 1980, Acrylic and fabric on canvas, 63 x 69 inches. Collection of Norma Canelas Roth and William Roth.
About the exhibition:
In the 1970s and 80s, a daring group of artists rebelled against minimalism and conceptual art to reclaim what had become taboo in fine art: ornament, pattern, and craft. Embellish Me showcases the diverse works made by artists from this period, many affiliated with the Pattern and Decoration Movement (or P&D). Their work resisted modernist austerity, embraced feminism, and championed maximalist exuberance.
The Boston Globe recently called this exhibition a New England "must-see." Read the review.
Embellish Me: Works from the Collection of Norma Canelas Roth and William Roth is on view at the Currier from November 7, 2025 to April 12, 2026.
This exhibition is generously supported by:
Pamela A. Harvey
M. Christine Dwyer and Michael Huxtable
Related upcoming events:
Art Talk on Embellish Me
February 22 at 11 AM
Currier Auditorium
Join Anastasia Kinigopoulo, Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, for an engaging Art Talk about the origins of the Pattern and Decoration movement. Expect lots of storytelling that brings this boundary-breaking movement to life.
Free for members; $5 for not-yet-members
Artventures: February Vacation Workshops for Kids
February 25 through 27
Options for ages 6 through 13+
Half-day format
Inspired by the Currier’s Embellish Me exhibition, this three-day workshop invites students to explore how artists use pattern, decoration, and layering to create rich, imaginative works.
The Making of Embellish Me:
The artists:
Drawing from the seminal collection of Norma Canelas Roth and William Roth, as well as highlights from the Currier’s permanent collection, Embellish Me presents work by artists including Miriam Schapiro, Robert Kushner, Valerie Jaudon, Robert Zakanitch, Lucas Samaras, Ned Smyth, and Joyce Kozloff.
About Norma Canelas Roth:
This exhibition is presented in honor of Norma Canelas Roth (1943–2022). A tireless advocate for artists, Roth felt deeply passionate about collecting art that was often neglected by mainstream art dealers, critics, and curators. Born in Puerto Rico, she lived much of her life in Florida and remained committed to collecting in depth. This show presents a selection of works collected by Roth, many of which were made by artists affiliated with the Pattern and Decoration movement, which she collected extensively.
Lucas Samaras, Reconstruction 39, 1978, Sewn fabrics, 75 x 48 inches (190.5 x 121.9 cm), Collection of Norma Canelas Roth and William Roth.
Joyce Kozloff, Blue and Gold Lattice, 1977, Mixed media, 58 x 46 inches (147.3 x 116.8 cm), Collection of Norma Canelas Roth and William Roth.
Richard Kalina, Somerset, 1980, Oil on canvas, 70 x 40 inches (177.8 x 101.6 cm), Collection of Norma Canelas Roth and William Roth.
Robert Kushner, Hawaiian Punch Cape, 1977, Pigment on unbleached cotton muslin, 50 x 75 inches (127 x 190.5 cm), Collection of Norma Canelas Roth and William Roth.
Robert Zakanitch, Untitled, 1989, Acrylic on paper, 32 1/4 x 40 3/4 x 9 inches (81.9 x 103.5 x 22.9 cm), Collection of Norma Canelas Roth and William Roth.
Miriam Schapiro, Orange Crush, 1979, Acrylic and collage on canvas, 48 x 96 inches (121.9 x 243.8 cm), Collection of Norma Canelas Roth and William Roth.
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