We’ll visit the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, to celebrate two important exhibitions: the first US solo presentations of Bernhard Schobinger and Dorothea Prühl, both key figures in avant-garde art jewelry. Each exhibition spans nearly 50 years of work. Beyond the museum, Houston offers a dynamic and deeply layered cultural landscape. As one of the largest and most diverse cities in the US, it brings together major institutions, artist-run spaces, and an energy shaped by its global communities. Our program will include visits to the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, along with artist studios, museum collections, and other stops that reflect the breadth of the city’s creative life.

The trip will start with a welcome dinner on Wednesday, September 23, and end after dinner on Saturday, September 26.

Program highlights include (subject to change):

• Welcome dinner to kick off the festivities
• Private tours at MFAH: Glassell School of Art jewelry and metalsmithing studios, Prühl, Schobinger, Bertoia, For Your Eyes Only
• NEW: Behind the scenes at MFAH with special guests: We’re excited to add an exciting new experience to our Houston itinerary: special access to the jewelry collection storage at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, home to one of the foremost collections of contemporary jewelry. Along with other works, we will see pieces donated to the museum by renowned collectors Helen Williams Drutt English and Susan Cummins, who will join us for this intimate visit! Cindi Strauss, assistant director of programming, and curator Elizabeth Essner will share a special selection of works from the MFAH’s collection. Together, we’ll view selected pieces up close, learn from the curators about the museum’s impressive holdings, and engage informally with these passionate collectors about the jewelry, the collections they built, and their significance to the field.
• Houston Center for Contemporary Craft: Tour the Material Inheritance: Silver Anniversary and Iconoglass exhibitions; meet the residents; view jewelry by artists from the Houston Metal Arts Guild—all arranged just for AJF
• A visit to two private collections of contemporary jewelry—an experience for AJF members only
• A breakfast meet-and-greet with AJF friends and members before the MFAH symposium
• Perspectives on Contemporary Jewelry: An International Symposium at MFAH: Features leading voices in the field, followed by a reception celebrating these two exhibitions—the perfect opportunity to gather with fellow collectors, artists, and enthusiasts. An international group of scholars, curators, and artists will give dynamic talks and curator-led tours, bringing new perspectives to each artist’s practice, as well as greater insights into the dialogue between contemporary jewelry, political and cultural history, and contemporary art. They include Renate Luckner-Bien with “A Clear Vision of Form: The Life and Work of Dorothea Prühl” | Iris Eichenberg with “On Sharing a Mother Tongue—A Conversation with Dorothea Prühl’s Work” | Claudia Schmuckli with “Bernhard Schobinger—The Fault Lines of History” | Cindi Strauss with “A Visionary Practice: Bernhard Schobinger in Context.” Attend as many talks as you’d like! More.
• MFAH symposium reception: Mingle and celebrate your favorite artists over drinks and nibbles
• (Optional) Turrell Sky Space: The roof is open for visitors to watch the colors of the sky change as the sun drops below the horizon
• Farewell dinner: For our final time together, indulge in delicious Southern cuisine
• We will also share suggestions for your free time in the city