2c George..

George Nakashima, Conoid bench with back, designed circa 1961, production date of this example, 1974, American black walnut, hickory, East Indian rosewood, 31 by 113 by 40 inches. Image courtesy of Mira Nakashima.

2c Chungi…

Chunghi Choo, decanter, 1980, silver-plated electroformed copper, 57/8 by 47/8 by 81/8 inches. —R.H. Hensleigh and Tim Thayer photo, courtesy of Cranbook Art Museum

FOR 6-15

MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY CRAFT REOPENS UNDER NEW NAME JULY 22 w/2 cuts

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PORTLAND, ORE. — Contemporary Crafts Museum & Gallery, a Portland nonprofit organization dedicated to the support and advancement of contemporary craft since 1937, recently celebrated an important rite of passage. After a months-long branding process, the organization is about to emerge with a new identity.

When it reopens this summer at its new location on Portland’s North Park Blocks, it will step forward as Museum of Contemporary Craft. A grand reopening of the new space, designed by Portland-based Richard Brown Architects and Forsgren Design Studio, is set for July 22. The occasion will be celebrated with the debut of the museum’s inaugural exhibition, “Craft in America: Expanding Traditions,” and a block party.

Boldly embracing the word craft and pushing the boundaries of what defines it, the museum promises to be a center for dialogue and inquiry. The museum acknowledges the foundation of craft history while investigating innovation happening in the field.

The notion of craft as a verb is also explored, and what it means for something to be crafted. From the organization’s inception, it has been a hub where people connect creatively, professionally and socially through craft. That part of its core identity will remain strong and grow stronger as the organization moves through this historic transition.

At a time when mass production, poor craftsmanship and obsolescence are becoming the norm, the craft movement is undergoing an evolution. This step forward by the museum — to centrally locate and double its square footage to 15,000 square feet — is both timely and relevant. Because the museum is dedicated to offering free admission, its new location will make the organization’s resources more accessible to the public.

As a local leader in the advancement of craft, the museum’s heightened visibility will bring greater opportunities to participate with a developing West Coast corridor of craft institutions — Bellevue Arts Museum, Museum of Glass, Tacoma Art Museum, San Francisco Museum of Craft + Design, Museum of Craft and Folk Art and Mingei International Museum.

At its new location and in an expanded facility, Museum of Contemporary Craft will now be able to more effectively achieve its goals: to expand the audience that values craft, to deepen the understanding and appreciation of craft and its makers, to guide education about the Pacific Northwest’s rich contribution to the history of craft, to build upon and steward the museum’s collection and to support Portland’s growing reputation as an energetic and culturally vital destination.

After July 22, the museum is at 724 Northwest Davis Street. For more information, www.contemporarycrafts.org or 503-223-2654.