Basketry is generally accepted as the oldest known form of craft, yet contemporary practice has transformed this craft into a fine art. Baskets are made by weaving together fibrous or pliable materials, usually forming them into a vessel to fulfill practical needs like containing, carrying, displaying, and storing goods. From ancient times to today, baskets were and remain useful – not just in ‘Third World’ nations, but also in the industrialized and high-tech superpowers.

Since the 1970s, however, some artists have revolutionized basketry by using unexpected materials and methods, developing unique forms, and working in varying sizes and scales. No longer utilitarian, these baskets are sculptures and, like other contemporary art forms, are often thematic and imbued with meaning.

Location: Salt Lake Art Center, 20 S. West Temple