Patriot Radio, Model FC-400, 1940-1941, Emerson Radio and Phonograph Corporation, New York(Manufacturer), Norman Bel Geddes (Designer), Catalin, plastic, 8 × 11 × 5 1/2 inches (20.3 × 27.9 × 14 cm), Gift from the George R. Kravis II Collection, 2018, 2018-205-5
Patriot Radio, Model FC-400, 1940-1941, Emerson Radio and Phonograph Corporation, New York(Manufacturer), Norman Bel Geddes (Designer), Catalin, plastic, 8 × 11 × 5 1/2 inches (20.3 × 27.9 × 14 cm), Gift from the George R. Kravis II Collection, 2018, 2018-205-5
Important: By downloading this image, you are agreeing to the following permissions: Images are provided exclusively to the press, and only for purposes of publicity for the duration of an exhibition at the PMA. The Museum grants permission to use images only to the extent of its ownership rights relating to those images--the responsibility for any additional permissions remains solely with the party reproducing the images. In addition, the images must be accompanied by the credit line and any copyright information as it appears above, and the party reproducing the images must not distort or mutilate the images.
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14
January
2025
|
10:02 AM
America/New_York

Boom: Art and Design in the 1940s

April 12 – September 1, 2025 
Media Preview: April 10, 2025, 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. 
Dorrance Galleries 
  • Air Raid over the Kremlin, July 26, 1941, Margaret Bourke-White, Gelatin silver print, Sheet: 9 3/4 × 13 1/4 inches (24.8 × 33.7 cm), Purchased with funds contributed by David Gottlieb and Becky Hutto in memory of Drs. Harry and Betty Gottlieb, 2024, 2024-83-1
    Important: By downloading this image, you are agreeing to the following permissions: Images are provided exclusively to the press, and only for purposes of publicity for the duration of an exhibition at the PMA. The Museum grants permission to use images only to the extent of its ownership rights relating to those images--the responsibility for any additional permissions remains solely with the party reproducing the images. In addition, the images must be accompanied by the credit line and any copyright information as it appears above, and the party reproducing the images must not distort or mutilate the images.
  • La Chaise, Designed 1948, Charles Eames (Designer), Ray Eames (Designer), Vitra GmbH, Basel, Switzerland (Manufacturer), Polyurethane, chrome-plated steel, oak, 34 1/4 × 59 inches (87 × 149.9 cm), Height of seat: 19 1/4 inches (48.9 cm), Width of base: 35 1/2 inches (90.2 cm), Gift of Vitra, Inc., 2015, 2015-12-2
    Important: By downloading this image, you are agreeing to the following permissions: Images are provided exclusively to the press, and only for purposes of publicity for the duration of an exhibition at the PMA. The Museum grants permission to use images only to the extent of its ownership rights relating to those images--the responsibility for any additional permissions remains solely with the party reproducing the images. In addition, the images must be accompanied by the credit line and any copyright information as it appears above, and the party reproducing the images must not distort or mutilate the images.
  • Black Jumper, 1944, Milton Avery, Oil on canvas, 54 3/16 × 33 3/4 inches (137.6 × 85.7 cm), Frame: 56 1/2 × 36 1/4 inches (143.5 × 92.1 cm), Bequest of Mrs. Maurice J. Speiser in memory of Raymond A. Speiser, 1968, 1968-177-1
    Important: By downloading this image, you are agreeing to the following permissions: Images are provided exclusively to the press, and only for purposes of publicity for the duration of an exhibition at the PMA. The Museum grants permission to use images only to the extent of its ownership rights relating to those images--the responsibility for any additional permissions remains solely with the party reproducing the images. In addition, the images must be accompanied by the credit line and any copyright information as it appears above, and the party reproducing the images must not distort or mutilate the images.
  • Use Spades Not Ships - Grow Your Own Food and Supply Your Own Cookhouse, 1939-1943, Abram Games, Color offset lithograph, Sheet: 14 1/2 x 9 1/2 inches (36.8 x 24.1 cm), Gift of Major H. P. MacNeal, 1943, 1943-80-47
    Important: By downloading this image, you are agreeing to the following permissions: Images are provided exclusively to the press, and only for purposes of publicity for the duration of an exhibition at the PMA. The Museum grants permission to use images only to the extent of its ownership rights relating to those images--the responsibility for any additional permissions remains solely with the party reproducing the images. In addition, the images must be accompanied by the credit line and any copyright information as it appears above, and the party reproducing the images must not distort or mutilate the images.
  • Woman's Dinner Jacket, Summer 1941, Elsa Schiaparelli, Black rayon crepe, magenta cellulose acetate velvet with silk embroidery, Center Back Length: 19 1/4 inches (48.9 cm) Center Front Length: 16 inches (40.6 cm), Gift of Mme Elsa Schiaparelli, 1969, 1969-232-17
    Important: By downloading this image, you are agreeing to the following permissions: Images are provided exclusively to the press, and only for purposes of publicity for the duration of an exhibition at the PMA. The Museum grants permission to use images only to the extent of its ownership rights relating to those images--the responsibility for any additional permissions remains solely with the party reproducing the images. In addition, the images must be accompanied by the credit line and any copyright information as it appears above, and the party reproducing the images must not distort or mutilate the images.
  • Male and Female, 1942-1943, Jackson Pollock, Oil on canvas, 6 feet 1 1/4 inches × 48 15/16 inches (186.1 × 124.3 cm) Frame: 6 feet 4 1/2 inches × 52 inches (194.3 × 132.1 cm), Gift of Mr. and Mrs. H. Gates Lloyd, 1974, 1974-232-1
    Important: By downloading this image, you are agreeing to the following permissions: Images are provided exclusively to the press, and only for purposes of publicity for the duration of an exhibition at the PMA. The Museum grants permission to use images only to the extent of its ownership rights relating to those images--the responsibility for any additional permissions remains solely with the party reproducing the images. In addition, the images must be accompanied by the credit line and any copyright information as it appears above, and the party reproducing the images must not distort or mutilate the images.
  • Seated Woman, c. 1940, Willem de Kooning, Oil and charcoal on Masonite, 54 1/16 × 36 inches (137.3 × 91.4 cm), The Albert M. Greenfield and Elizabeth M. Greenfield Collection, 1974, 1974-178-23
    Important: By downloading this image, you are agreeing to the following permissions: Images are provided exclusively to the press, and only for purposes of publicity for the duration of an exhibition at the PMA. The Museum grants permission to use images only to the extent of its ownership rights relating to those images--the responsibility for any additional permissions remains solely with the party reproducing the images. In addition, the images must be accompanied by the credit line and any copyright information as it appears above, and the party reproducing the images must not distort or mutilate the images.
  • Patriot Radio, Model FC-400, 1940-1941, Emerson Radio and Phonograph Corporation, New York(Manufacturer), Norman Bel Geddes (Designer), Catalin, plastic, 8 × 11 × 5 1/2 inches (20.3 × 27.9 × 14 cm), Gift from the George R. Kravis II Collection, 2018, 2018-205-5
    Important: By downloading this image, you are agreeing to the following permissions: Images are provided exclusively to the press, and only for purposes of publicity for the duration of an exhibition at the PMA. The Museum grants permission to use images only to the extent of its ownership rights relating to those images--the responsibility for any additional permissions remains solely with the party reproducing the images. In addition, the images must be accompanied by the credit line and any copyright information as it appears above, and the party reproducing the images must not distort or mutilate the images.
  • The Park Bench, 1946, Horace Pippin, Oil on canvas, 13 × 18 inches (33 × 45.7 cm) Frame: 18 1/2 × 22 1/2 inches (47 × 57.2 cm), Bequest of Daniel W. Dietrich II, 2016, 2016-3-4
    Important: By downloading this image, you are agreeing to the following permissions: Images are provided exclusively to the press, and only for purposes of publicity for the duration of an exhibition at the PMA. The Museum grants permission to use images only to the extent of its ownership rights relating to those images--the responsibility for any additional permissions remains solely with the party reproducing the images. In addition, the images must be accompanied by the credit line and any copyright information as it appears above, and the party reproducing the images must not distort or mutilate the images.
  • Composition, 1949, Lee Krasner, Oil on canvas, 38 1/16 x 27 13/16 inches (96.7 x 70.6 cm) Framed: 39 5/8 x 29 5/8 x 1 3/8 inches (100.6 x 75.2 x 3.5 cm), Gift of the Aaron E. Norman Fund, Inc., 1959, 1959-31-1
    Important: By downloading this image, you are agreeing to the following permissions: Images are provided exclusively to the press, and only for purposes of publicity for the duration of an exhibition at the PMA. The Museum grants permission to use images only to the extent of its ownership rights relating to those images--the responsibility for any additional permissions remains solely with the party reproducing the images. In addition, the images must be accompanied by the credit line and any copyright information as it appears above, and the party reproducing the images must not distort or mutilate the images.
  • Grass-Seated Chair, 1946, George Nakashima, Walnut, grass, 29 × 26 1/2 × 20 inches (73.7 × 67.3 × 50.8 cm), Height (seat): 16 3/4 inches (42.5 cm), Gift of Anne d'Harnoncourt, 2001, 2001-20-1
    Important: By downloading this image, you are agreeing to the following permissions: Images are provided exclusively to the press, and only for purposes of publicity for the duration of an exhibition at the PMA. The Museum grants permission to use images only to the extent of its ownership rights relating to those images--the responsibility for any additional permissions remains solely with the party reproducing the images. In addition, the images must be accompanied by the credit line and any copyright information as it appears above, and the party reproducing the images must not distort or mutilate the images.
  • Atomic Bomb Explosion, c. 1946-1952, Harold Edgerton, Gelatin silver print, Image: 18 1/16 × 14 5/16 inches (45.8 × 36.3 cm) Sheet: 19 15/16 × 16 inches (50.6 × 40.7 cm), Gift of The Harold and Esther Edgerton Family Foundation, 1996, 1996-75-43
    Important: By downloading this image, you are agreeing to the following permissions: Images are provided exclusively to the press, and only for purposes of publicity for the duration of an exhibition at the PMA. The Museum grants permission to use images only to the extent of its ownership rights relating to those images--the responsibility for any additional permissions remains solely with the party reproducing the images. In addition, the images must be accompanied by the credit line and any copyright information as it appears above, and the party reproducing the images must not distort or mutilate the images.
  • Woman's Dinner Jacket, Summer 1941, Elsa Schiaparelli, Black rayon crepe, magenta cellulose acetate velvet with silk embroidery, Center Back Length: 19 1/4 inches (48.9 cm) Center Front Length: 16 inches (40.6 cm), Gift of Mme Elsa Schiaparelli, 1969, 1969-232-17
    Important: By downloading this image, you are agreeing to the following permissions: Images are provided exclusively to the press, and only for purposes of publicity for the duration of an exhibition at the PMA. The Museum grants permission to use images only to the extent of its ownership rights relating to those images--the responsibility for any additional permissions remains solely with the party reproducing the images. In addition, the images must be accompanied by the credit line and any copyright information as it appears above, and the party reproducing the images must not distort or mutilate the images.
  • Portrait of Jean-Louis, 1947-1949, Louise Bourgeois (Artist/Maker), The Robert Miller Gallery, New York (Dealer), 35 × 4 × 1 1/4 inches (88.9 × 10.2 × 3.2 cm), Framed: 49 × 17 1/8 × 5 1/4 inches (124.5 × 43.5 × 13.3 cm), Gift of Keith L. and Katherine Sachs, 2013, 2013-158-2
    Important: By downloading this image, you are agreeing to the following permissions: Images are provided exclusively to the press, and only for purposes of publicity for the duration of an exhibition at the PMA. The Museum grants permission to use images only to the extent of its ownership rights relating to those images--the responsibility for any additional permissions remains solely with the party reproducing the images. In addition, the images must be accompanied by the credit line and any copyright information as it appears above, and the party reproducing the images must not distort or mutilate the images.
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January 14, 2025 – The Philadelphia Museum of Art (PMA) is pleased to present Boom: Art and Design in the 1940s, an exhibition of over 250 works of sculpture, painting, fashion, photography, furniture and more, drawn entirely from the museum’s extensive collections. On view from April 12 to September 1, 2025, this exhibition will examine the 1940s, offering a fresh look of this historic period and celebrating the spirit of innovation that flourished despite adversity.

Visitors will be treated to a snapshot of the decade's creative endeavors, from practical wartime fashions and striking jewelry made from commonplace materials, to paintings, prints, drawings, and photographs that recorded the people and places of the day. Some artists aimed to capture the world with a modern flair, such as Georgia O’Keeffe, Horace Pippin, and Ben Shahn. Others like Jackson Pollock and Lee Krasner challenged the status quo as their work abandoned recognizable forms and forged new visual languages. Pollock’s Male and Female (1942-43) is exemplary of the time, laying the groundwork for the development of Abstract Expressionism in the decade’s later years. 

In one section, this exhibition will look at the intersection of art and World War II, bringing together a diverse group of objects made in response to global conflict. Highlights will include works made for use during the war, such as Mainbocher’s American WAVES uniform designed for the women’s branch of the U.S. Navy, as well as objects that incorporated wartime materials, such as Jens Risom’s chair with woven parachute straps. This section also will draw upon the museum’s extensive collection of posters from both sides of the Atlantic, including three large-scale, stenciled examples produced in Moscow by Soviet artists and writers. These will be displayed alongside photographs from the front lines, such as Air Raid over the Kremlin (1941) by Margaret Bourke-White, illustrating Moscow’s Red Square alight with flares, bombs, and gunfire. 

The show will then go on to explore landmarks of postwar design, specifically the recalibration of manufacturing from military to domestic production, returning to the home as a space of commercial and creative potential. Emerging from internment by the U.S. government, Japanese American artists George Nakashima and Isamu Noguchi brought distinctive perspectives to their work in furniture, design, and sculpture. Businesses such as Knoll pivoted from importing furniture from Europe to promoting U.S.-based designers and stateside manufacturing, establishing its first factory in East Greenville, Pennsylvania. Objects from this section will include designs by Russel Wright, Eero Saarinen, and Charles and Ray Eames, some of which are still in production, along with one-of-a-kind examples of enamels, turned wood, and ceramics by Doris Hall, James Prestini, and Gertrud and Otto Natzler. 

Elsewhere, the exhibition will look at the impact of war on Paris couture, demonstrated by a military-inspired jacket designed by Elsa Schiaparelli with particularly deep pockets, enabling its wearer to leave the house without a handbag in case they also needed to carry a gasmask. The postwar return to opulence will be evident later in this section, with examples by Christian Dior set in contrast to U.S.-based designers such as Claire McCardell who played a role in developing a new and distinctive “American Look.” 

The exhibition will conclude with work from the late 1940s and into the Atomic Age. Some objects, such as Harold Edgerton's striking photograph of an atomic bomb detonation, reflect the period's continued anxieties around nuclear war. Other images foreground a generation's hopes for a better future, including Pablo Picasso's The Dove (1949), an image used by the World Congress of Partisans for Peace as its emblem to convey shared aspirations for global unity. 

"This exhibition sets out to challenge the perception that creative pursuits ground to a halt during the first half of the decade and, instead, will shine a spotlight on the remarkable creativity of 1940s America," said Sasha Suda, the George D. Widener Director and CEO of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. "I am particularly proud that we will be drawing entirely from the museum’s extensive collections to tell stories of a decade that was both tumultuous and transformative.” 

"It has been thrilling to explore the museum's extensive holdings to identify works – a number of which have never been on view, including pieces conserved specifically for this exhibition – that illuminate some of the lesser-known stories, artists, themes, and innovations across a range of media and styles," said curator Jessica T. Smith, Director of Curatorial Affairs. "It is inspiring to see how creative spirits persevered despite material restrictions and global conflict."

Boom: Art and Design in the 1940s will be accompanied by a magazine-style book featuring short texts by the curatorial team; contributions by Ken Burns, Edmund de Waal, and Christian McBride in conversation with Alison McDonald; essays by Frederic Murphy, Alexandra Palmer, and Steven Rea; and poetry by Anna Akhmatova. The exhibition is supported by a series of public programs, including family programming, lectures, and performances. 

The exhibition is curated by Elisabeth Agro, Nancy M. McNeil Curator of Modern and Contemporary Craft and Decorative Arts; Dilys Blum, Jack M. and Annette Y. Friedland Senior Curator of Costume and Textiles; Amanda N. Bock, Lynne and Harold Honickman Assistant Curator of Photographs; and Jessica T. Smith, Director of Curatorial Affairs (Team Lead); with Exhibition Assistant Lily F. Scott. 

Press Preview
The exhibition will be open to media on the afternoon of April 10, 2025 from 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. ET. Individual viewings can be arranged by contacting the pressroom at pressroom@philamuseum.org.
 

Public and Family Programming

The Rose Susan Hirschhorn Behrend Lecture
Saturday, April 12, 2:00 p.m.
Curators of the exhibition highlight specific objects that offer a deeper understanding of this tumultuous period and the outstanding creativity that shaped the era.

George Nakashima Film Screening
Friday, May 2, 5:30 p.m.
Film screening of George Nakashima, Woodworker, followed by a Q&A with curator Elisabeth Agro and Mira Nakashima-Yarnall.

Family Festival: Curves, Blobs and Thingamabobs
Sunday, May 4, 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
During this Pay What You Wish festival, families can experiment with organic shapes, drawing inspiration from Asian American artists in the exhibition.

Noguchi’s Avatar inspired Art Kids Studio
Saturdays & Sundays in May, 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Families can build and play with interlocking shapes taking inspiration from sculptures by Isamu Noguchi.

Gallery Talks
Friday, June 13, 5:30pm, 6:30pm, and 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, June 21, 2:30 p.m.
Saturday, June 28, 2:30 p.m.
Exhibition assistant Lily Scot leads a talk on the Queer Artistic Network in the 1940s.

Family Festival: Fashion Forward
Sunday, June 1, 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
During this Pay What You Wish festival, families can design their own wearable art inspired by Lilly Daché’s Woman’s Hat.

Public Tours
Daily, 12:00 p.m.
Public guided tours of Boom: Art and Design in the 1940s are offered daily for the duration of the exhibition.

Student and Educator Programs

School Programs
April 12 – September 1, 2025
School tours will include a stop in Boom: Art and Design in the 1940s.

Teen Programs
Summer 2025
The Summer Teen Sketch students will create their own screenprints on paper and textiles in response to the exhibition.


Support
This exhibition was made possible by the Annenberg Foundation Fund for Major Exhibitions, Jill and Sheldon Bonovitz Exhibition Fund, Lois G. and Julian A. Brodsky Installation and Exhibition Fund, Laura and William C. Buck Endowment for Exhibitions, the Center for American Art at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, The Women’s Committee of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Gloria and Jack Drosdick Fund for Special Exhibitions, Zoë S. Pappas, Barbara A. Podell and Mark G. Singer, Garrett G. Snider, and other generous supporters.  

All exhibitions at the PMA are underwritten by the Annual Exhibition Fund. Generous support is provided by Andrea Baldeck, M.D.; Julia and David Fleischner; Amy A. Fox and Daniel H. Wheeler; Mrs. Henry F. Harris; Robert Hayes; Mark W. Strong and Dana Strong.  

Media Contact: 
Maggie Fairs, Philadelphia Museum of Art | maggie.fairs@philamuseum.org | 267.768.1163 


About the Philadelphia Museum of Art:
The Philadelphia Museum of Art is a national and international destination for art, but first, we are Philadelphia’s Museum of Art—for all the many diverse communities of the city. Through our collections, exhibitions, events, educational activities, celebrations, and more, the PMA is a storyteller, and we welcome everyone to be part of the story—our doors are wide open. To learn more, visit www.philamuseum.org.

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