A Shared Journey
Museum Galleries, Decorative Arts and Design
Introduction
This exhibition celebrates the power and joy of sharing knowledge, creativity, and objects—showing how these acts of generosity connect generations and cultures, now and into the future. Gathered over many decades by Hope and Mel Barkan, the Barkan Contemporary Ceramic Collection, part of which was recently gifted to the RISD Museum, spans contemporary ceramics from the 1960s to the 2010s, offering an expansive array of works that reflect diverse artistic practices, cultural identities, and global perspectives.
The collection highlights how ceramics—whether functional or sculptural—foster collaboration and dialogue, both within the ceramic community and beyond. By sharing their collection with a wider audience, the Barkans offer visitors and scholars the opportunity to engage with a dynamic, evolving medium that has long been a site of artistic exchange and innovation. This exhibition underscores the interconnectedness of art and the ongoing impact of those who create, collect, and pass on their knowledge and passion for the medium.
Curated by Elizabeth A. Williams, David and Peggy Rockefeller Curator of Decorative Arts and Design
*The first part of this exhibition will open 09/13/25 in the Ceramics Gallery, followed by the opening of the second part on 11/08/25 in the Upper Farago Gallery.
Elizabeth Williams
