The American Folk Art Museum on the Upper West Side is celebrating its 65th anniversary and the upcoming 250th anniversary of the United States with two major exhibitions: “Folk Nation: Crafting Patriotism in the United States” and “Self-Made: A Century of Inventing Artists.” These shows feature works ranging from 19th-century textiles to 20th-century paintings by self-taught icons like Morris Hirshfield and Reverend Benjamin Franklin Perkins, highlighting how marginalized and non-academic artists have historically interpreted American identity and personal narrative.
These exhibitions matter because they challenge traditional art historical canons by centering the perspectives of self-taught and historically sidelined creators. By showcasing artists who are now gaining significant market and institutional recognition—such as Henry Darger and Adolf Wölfli—the museum reinforces the cultural importance of vernacular art in the broader dialogue of American patriotism and self-expression.