In a song entitled A House is not a Home, Luther Vandross croons “A chair is just a chair, until someone is sitting there,” a lyric made more meaningful when the empty chair is a symbol for someone who is never to return. Even though there is a woman in the forefront, the center of […]
Radio Chipstone: Mutópe Johnson
Dave the Potter was an artisan enslaved in South Carolina from his birth in 1801 until the end of the Civil War. His impressive body of work includes 27 stoneware storage jars. One of his large pots is at the center of an exhibit entitled The Dave Project: Exploring African-American Material Culture. It is part […]
Radio Chipstone: Fort Paul
If you are Sheltering at Home…what have you been up to? Zooming with friends and family? Trying to figure out a way to stay sane and support yourself and your family? In these scary times, it’s sometimes hard to find a bit of delight. Sarah Anne Carter is the Visiting Executive Director, Center for Design […]
Radio Chipstone: The Material Culture of Masks
The wearing of masks is a deeply rooted tradition in many cultures. They are worn in celebration, religious reasons, or ritual and often a signal that something out of the ordinary is happening. According to the Center for Disease Control and the World Health Organization, wearing a mask can help curb the spread of the […]
Radio Chipstone: Object Lessons, Part 2
One of the many facets of Material Culture is the study of people’s relationships with objects. It’s about how we interact with objects in a way that takes us beyond the surface. But what happens when we stop engaging on a deeper level, stop asking questions and start creating narratives based on glances. What happens […]
Radio Chipstone: Object Lessons, Part 1
The goal of Radio Chipstone and contributor gianofer fields is to invite you to take a second look at the things you choose to keep near. That’s the basis of Material Culture, its purpose is not to look at the history of objects. It’s to look at history through objects. Basically, it’s a different way […]
