Actor Frances McDormand and performance artist Suzanne Bocanegra have debuted a new iteration of their multi-sensory installation, 'CRADLED', at Hauser & Wirth’s downtown Los Angeles location. Developed in collaboration with the Shaker Museum, the exhibition features adult-sized cradles and Shaker furniture designed for care and infirmity. The performance-based installation explores themes of mortality, loneliness, and communal care through the lens of Shaker craft and spiritual tradition.
The project matters because it bridges the gap between contemporary performance art and historic craft preservation, highlighting the enduring relevance of Shaker minimalism and social philosophy. By focusing on objects like adult cradles—historically used in Shaker infirmaries to soothe the dying or ill—the exhibition addresses modern 'epidemics of loneliness' and the human need for somatic comfort. It also marks a significant high-profile collaboration between a major commercial gallery and a specialized regional museum.