The article reviews "A World in the Making: The Shakers," an exhibition at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Philadelphia, running through August 9, 2026. It pairs Shaker material culture with works by seven contemporary artists, including Kameelah Janan Rasheed, who responds to the archive of Rebecca Cox Jackson, a Black Shaker leader. The exhibition explores how Shaker communal practices, craft traditions, and devotional art resonate in today's digital age, where handmade aesthetics often become lifestyle signals rather than shared experiences.
The exhibition matters because it interrogates the contemporary revival of handicraft and communal making against a backdrop of atomized, online performance. By juxtaposing Shaker objects with contemporary art, it raises critical questions about whether craft aesthetics can substitute for genuine collective futures. The show also highlights overlooked histories, such as Jackson's Black Shaker community, and challenges viewers to consider how belief, labor, and discipline translate across centuries.