Everyday Perfection, a new exhibition at the Albany International Airport Gallery, explores the legacy of Shaker craftsmanship. The exhibit is composed of the works of eight contemporary artists juxtaposed with historic Shaker textile tools. As noted in the catalog: The relationship to labor as a devotional process is common to both Shakers and artists of many disciplines... Everyday Perfection considers how the mechanics and motifs of Shaker textile production have seeded the creative pathways of artists today. You may know about Shaker furniture, have seen the distinct Shaker oval boxes, hummed the Simple Gifts song (‘Tis a gift to be simple, ‘tis a gift to be free…)
and even worn a Shaker stitch sweater, but did you know that the Shakers’ first settlement in America was right here in Albany County?
The movement known as the Shakers originated in England in the 1750s. Having experienced persecution and rejection for their revolutionary beliefs and ecstatic form of worship, eight Shakers immigrated from Manchester, England in 1774 and landed in New York City. Led by Mother Ann Lee, they moved to Albany in 1776 and rented land from the Van Rensselaer family near what is now the Albany Airport. The Shakers remained in Albany from 1776 to 1938. It is remarkable to consider that a major cultural force in America grew from the local community founded by
Mother Ann Lee and a handful of others.
Curator Kathy Greenwood will offer a special tour of the exhibit on Thursday, July 11th beginning at 5:30 pm. Participants are encouraged to park at the Shaker Heritage Society (SHS) and either walk or carpool to the airport. Please meet at SHS at 5:15 pm. Bring a picnic supper to enjoy at the Shaker site afterwards. SHS is located at 25 Meeting House Road, off Heritage Lane. We would appreciate pre-registration for the event, which is free.
Please RSVP to: educator@shakerheritage.org or: 518-456-7890, ext 3.