Exhibits & Events

As Wharton Esherick's Studio Turns 100, Exhibition by Jennifer Johnson reflects on Relationship of Architecture and Craft

New ceramic works by the Wharton Esherick Museum’s Artist-in-Residence investigate how buildings and the things they contain record history, reveal lived experience, and embody creative labor.

The Wharton Esherick Museum (WEM) is pleased to announce the opening of a new exhibition by our current Artist-in-Residence, Jennifer Johnson: All the Time in the World. On view from October 1 – December 30, 2026, this exhibition marks 100 years of Esherick’s iconic home and studio with new ceramic works in conversation with the lifetime of creative labor embodied there.

Jennifer Johnson uses sustained observation as a way of creating a deep understanding of physical space. Through a practice that includes photography, drawing, and ceramics (including sculpture, models, and mosaics), Johnson investigates how buildings and the things they contain record history, reveal lived experience, and embody creative labor. Rather than privileging the exact reproduction of a place, Johnson’s work asks how architectural spaces can be revealed to us anew through prolonged attention. The exhibition's title, All the Time in the World, reflects both the generosity of Johnson’s devotion to being present in the Studio, as well as the reality that even with infinite time it is a tremendous challenge to capture any place in all its complexity.

As WEM's 2026 Artist-in-Residence, Johnson has spent a year returning to Wharton Esherick's home and studio, translating close observation and material exploration into a new body of work. Her research has taken place both on the museum's grounds and within the Studio itself, where she has watched light change throughout the day, traced the geometry of the buildings, and discovered new relationships between objects, materials, and architectural spaces. Her mosaics and sculptural works are not simply illustrations of the Studio. Instead they act as records of this year of inquiry, using deeply saturated color, unconventional perspective, and the malleability of clay. Through these works, Johnson has captured the time she has given to understanding the decisions and labor that shaped this singular place.

Johnson’s work ties thematically to a significant anniversary for WEM, as 2026 marks 100 years since Esherick broke ground on his renowned Studio. Presented during this centennial year, Johnson’s work reflects on the enduring relationship between architecture and craft, as well as the time and devotion inherent in building a creative life. She invites us to slow down, look closely, and recognize how the time, attention, and care which underlies creative labor is itself a way of understanding.

"WEM's artist-in-residence program asks contemporary artists to bring their creativity and unique perspectives to bear on the museum and its collections, from the buildings themselves to the archives and objects within," states Director of Curatorial Affairs and Strategic Partnerships Emily Zilber. "Johnson's time onsite reflects her commitment to creative research, singular aesthetic vision, and enthusiastic interest in the rich possibilities of exploring Esherick's life and legacy. The exciting new body of work birthed from Johnson's deep attention reverberates with the inherent magic of this special site."