“This fall, Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum will present “Made in America: The Industrial Photography of Christopher Payne,” an exhibition featuring Payne’s intricately detailed photography of America’s factories. On view from Dec. 12 through Oct. 4, 2026, the exhibition brings together more than 70 large-format photographs captured by Payne over a decade-long photographic journey to learn more about the craft of both industrial and artisanal making in the United States.
Recently published in the book Made in America: The Industrial Photography of Christopher Payne (Abrams, 2023), Payne’s photographs highlight the traditional craftsmanship behind the creation of musical instruments, flags, footballs and pinball machines, as well as the intricate hand processes still critical to creating the most advanced products, ranging from microchips to the Giant Magellan Telescope. The exhibition also will feature new photographic works not seen before, including images of a Herman Miller furniture factory in Grand Rapids, Michigan; New Balance sneakers being made in Lawrence, Massachusetts; and Alstom high-speed rail trains in Hornell, New York.” — Cooper Hewitt
Massachusetts). Courtesy of the artist.
Utrecht Art Supplies (Brooklyn, New York). Courtesy of the artist
Courtesy of the artist
“Payne’s photographs satisfy our deep curiosity to know how things are made, revealing both the essence of the work being performed and the grace of a skilled maker who brings craft, passion and technological savvy to the process,” said Susan Brown, the exhibition’s curator. “Through this exhibition, which has been years in the making, visitors will glimpse a world that is often hidden from view, from the New England textile mills that were among the country’s founding industries to the newest plants for building rockets, quantum computers and fusion reactors.”
“My photographs are a celebration of the making of things, of the transformation of raw materials into useful objects and the human skill and mechanical precision brought to bear on these materials that give them form and purpose,” Payne said. “They are also a celebration of teamwork and community, revealing how people of varying ages and skill levels come together to work toward a common goal.”
The exhibition is organized by Susan Brown, associate curator and acting head of textiles at Cooper Hewitt.
Title image: Assembling a Discovery IQ PET/CT scanner, 2024. Photographed by Christopher Payne (American, born 1968). GE Healthcare (Waukesha, Wisconsin). Courtesy of the artist.
Images courtesy Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum.
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