The initial occasion when the artist Eve Biddle showcased her creations alongside her mother’s, she felt somewhat anxious. It was the year 2018, two decades after her mother, Mary Ann Unger, succumbed to breast cancer. Unger crafted her monumental sculptures using substances such as bronze, marble, and steel. “Mom’s work possesses a strong presence,” remarks Biddle, whose own art traverses various fields and tends to be more modest in size. Yet Alexandra Schwartz, who curated the 2018 exhibition, anticipated a compelling combination despite the differing artistic approaches. “She assured me, ‘Both voices are discernible,’” Biddle remembers. Neither overshadowed the other—they complemented each other.
Since that time, sculptures by Biddle and Unger have frequently been featured together in art displays, most recently in “Craft Front & Center: Conversation Pieces,” which debuted in early June at the Museum of Arts and Design in Manhattan. Schwartz also curated this third version of “Craft Front & Center,” which will remain available for viewing until next April and presents over 60 pieces from MAD’s extensive collection in conversation with modern artists. The pieces represent more than eight decades and primarily consist of traditional craft materials like fiber, ceramic, and glass.