New York – The Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) in New York opened its doors on May 31, 2025, for a highly anticipated exhibition: “The Mad MAD World of Jonathan Adler.” Running until April 19, 2026, this show offers insights into the dazzling universe of American ceramicist and designer Jonathan Adler, who is also acting as a curator for the first time in his career. Over 60 works from the museum’s permanent collection enter into a dialogue with Adler’s own iconic designs, a constellation the artist views as a personal and professional turning point. The exhibition’s long duration, spanning almost a year, underscores the importance MAD attaches to this project and signals the expectation of significant public interest.
The title itself, “The Mad MAD World,” is more than just a catchy headline; it subtly plays with the double meaning of “mad” crazy in the sense of Adler’s often eccentric, joyful style, and as an acronym for the Museum of Arts and Design. This choice of words suggests a playful, self-ironic approach, reflected in the official description of the exhibition as “playful and irreverent.” Simon Doonan, another key figure in the New York design scene and Adler’s husband, is responsible for the visual realization of this world. The exhibition thus promises not only a showcase of works but also a profound, humorous exploration of design, craft, and inspiration.
The Curator and His Vision – A Homecoming
Jonathan Adler’s decision to act as a curator for the Museum of Arts and Design is deeply rooted in his personal and professional history. For Adler, this exhibition represents a “full circle moment,” as his career began at this very place: in 1993, he sold his first pottery pieces in the shop of what was then the American Craft Museum, the predecessor to today’s MAD. Adler perceives this return to his creative origins, now in the role of shaping his own exhibition, as a “career highlight.” He describes the opportunity to present his own works in the context of those by his “craft and design heroes” as a “deep experience,” even a kind of “therapy session and autobiography” that helps him understand “what I’ve actually been up to all these years.” This introspective stance suggests that the selection and arrangement of objects follow a personal narrative, inviting visitors to trace Adler’s creative development.
Despite his company having grown into an international empire encompassing furniture, lighting, and a wide range of home accessories , Adler consistently emphasizes that he has “always been a potter first and foremost.” This self-identification with craftsmanship aligns closely with the history and focus of MAD and legitimizes his curatorial selection, which places a strong emphasis on ceramics and other craft disciplines. Adler’s design philosophy, aimed at bringing “Modern American Glamour” into people’s lives, skillfully combines humor, impeccable style, and artisanal skill. His oft-quoted motto, “If your heirs won’t fight over it, we won’t make it,” underscores this commitment to quality and timelessness with a dash of irreverence. He draws inspiration from diverse sources such as Mid-Century Modern, art, and global pop culture , elements that are also reflected in the thematic structure of the exhibition.
The Exhibition in Detail – A Curated Dialogue
“The Mad MAD World of Jonathan Adler” is conceived as a dynamic exchange, juxtaposing over 60 selected pieces from MAD’s permanent collection with Adler’s own, often iconic, designs. These objects are not presented in isolation but are arranged in “striking tableaux” intended to initiate a visual dialogue between the works. The exhibition’s structure follows thematic vignettes that reflect Adler’s personal “fascinations,” taking visitors on a journey through his sources of inspiration. This subjective organization, with titles like “Optimistica,” “Erotica,” and “Funkiana,” emphasizes the personal nature of the show, making it feel more like a stroll through Adler’s creative mind than a purely art-historical treatise.
Central vignettes include “Authentica,” a tribute to the elegant forms of Mid-Century Modern ceramics. “Optimistica” celebrates exuberance and joie de vivre in all its forms, while “Erotica” focuses on sensual works in ceramic, fiber, and glass. The vignettes “Funkiana” and “Kottler-ia” hold particular significance, exploring the potential of craft for satire and subversion. The explicit naming of a section after Howard Kottler, an artist known for his provocative and humorous ceramics, is telling. Adler thereby consciously positions his own, often perceived as glamorous, work within a tradition of critical and humorous design, hinting at an engagement with the role of humor and social critique in craft.
These areas are complemented by other thematic groupings such as “Americalia,” featuring patriotic pastiches, “Metallica,” with shimmering metalworks, and “Animalia,” a menagerie inspired by nature. Among the artists from the MAD collection represented in the exhibition are notable figures like Magdalena Abakanowicz, Robert Arneson, Hans Coper, Ruth Duckworth, David Gilhooly, Howard Kottler, Lucie Rie, Toshiko Takaezu, and Betty Woodman, whose works underscore the breadth and quality of the museum’s collection.
The Art of Staging – Simon Doonan’s Signature
Simon Doonan is responsible for the installation design of “The Mad MAD World of Jonathan Adler.” Doonan is a luminary of visual presentation, known as an author, TV personality, legendary window dresser for Barneys New York, and Adler’s husband. Doonan’s design approach aims to “spark wonder through the massing of objects in associative relationships.” This method deliberately recalls the maximalist style of the influential Mid-Century designer Alexander Girard, particularly his design for The Girard Collection at the International Folk Art Museum in Santa Fe. The choice of Doonan, known for his extravagant and theatrical stagings , is a conscious decision to amplify Adler’s aesthetic of “Modern American Glamour” and “irreverent luxury” in the exhibition’s presentation. The installation itself thus becomes an integral part of the “Mad MAD World.”
The explicit reference to Girard’s maximalist style , known for its abundance of colors, patterns, and objects , can be understood as a curatorial statement against minimalist tendencies in museum presentation. Instead, opulence, joy, and a variety of visual stimuli are celebrated, reflecting Adler’s design philosophy of “Optimistica” and “Exuberance.” Adler himself commented positively on the collaboration with his husband, noting that they “work very well together” and that Doonan helped to “map out the show.” Doonan’s experience, including his time at the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art under Diana Vreeland , makes him ideally suited for creating such immersive and narrative spaces.
The Museum and the Collaboration – A Platform for Craft and Design
The Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) pursues the mission of collecting, exhibiting, and interpreting objects that document contemporary and historical innovations in craft, art, and design, and celebrating the creative process. Founded in 1956 by philanthropist Aileen Osborn Webb as the Museum of Contemporary Crafts, later renamed the American Craft Museum, it received its current name in 2002 to reflect its increasingly interdisciplinary focus. The museum’s roots in craft provide an ideal foundation for an exhibition by Jonathan Adler, who primarily sees himself as a potter. The collaboration with such a commercially successful designer as Adler, whose brand stands for “Modern American Glamour,” signals MAD’s openness to a broader definition of design that includes popular and commercial aspects.
Elissa Auther, MAD’s Deputy Curatorial Director and Chief Curator, describes Adler’s perspective on the collection as “refreshingly unpretentious,” “playful and irreverent, while at the same time deeply respectful of the makers and movements that shaped modern craft and his own creative practices.” The exhibition, Auther continues, offers “myriad insights into Jonathan’s creative mind, and his heart, as his love of objects, materials, and those whose legacies precede his are felt throughout the gallery.” The show is part of MAD’s collection-based exhibition series aimed at activating and reinterpreting its own collection. By entrusting a curatorial role to a designer like Adler, MAD may also be responding to the growing trend of artists and designers themselves becoming curators. This can be seen as a strategy to gain new perspectives on established collections and to make the museum institution more dynamic.
Initial Reactions and Social Resonance
The opening of “The Mad MAD World of Jonathan Adler” attracted numerous guests, whose initial reactions provide a glimpse into the exhibition’s atmosphere and perception. Jonathan Adler himself commented on the buzz around him with his usual humor: “This sometimes feels like attending your own funeral.” Designer Anna Sui succinctly summarized the show’s impact: “Everything you look at makes you smile.” This emphasis on joy and optimism seems to strike a chord and corresponds with Adler’s own design philosophy and vignettes like “Optimistica.” Liz Lange, a long-time friend of Adler, was “phenomenally” impressed by his development, not only as a creative but also as a businessman. Amy Fine Collins highlighted that Adler “embraced kitsch in a fearless way,” an important observation regarding an often-discussed aspect of his style. This remark is significant, as Adler’s success and museum recognition could contribute to a re-evaluation of kitsch as a legitimate aesthetic strategy in design and open up discussions about taste boundaries. The exhibition, described in press releases as a “joyfully eclectic take on craft,” potentially stimulates broader societal discussions: about the role of humor and “irreverence” in art and design, the appreciation of craft in the digital age, and the permeability of boundaries between high culture and commercial design.
Outlook and Potential Consequences – The Future of “Mad” Design
“The Mad MAD World of Jonathan Adler” has the potential to create impulses beyond its duration. It could reinforce the trend of museums increasingly relying on external creative personalities as curators to revitalize their collections and make them accessible to a broader audience. Adler’s work and the exhibition could also encourage designers to pursue more playful and less dogmatic approaches. The themes of optimism and humor as design methodologies celebrated here, also discussed in broader design discourses under terms like “Outlandish Optimism,” could gain prominence through such high-profile examples. The role of “irreverence” as a creative tool that breaks conventions might also undergo a re-evaluation in the design context.
In the long term, the exhibition could sharpen MAD’s profile as a place that boldly and undogmatically explores the interfaces of craft, design, art, and pop culture. It serves as a case study for how an established “personal brand” and a “museum institution” can mutually benefit: Adler’s popularity attracts audiences, while the museum platform culturally elevates his work. Should Adler’s “playful and irreverent, yet deeply respectful” approach to the museum collection catch on, it could lead to a democratization of the curatorial process. Subjective “fascinations” and personal interpretations could complement traditional narratives, potentially making museums more vibrant, though also posing the challenge of balancing entertainment with scholarly rigor. Accompanying public programs and the sale of Adler products in the museum shop will further extend the exhibition’s reach and impact.
An Invitation into Adler’s Universe
In summary, “The Mad MAD World of Jonathan Adler” is more than just a retrospective. It is a multifaceted show that celebrates Jonathan Adler’s personal journey, his distinctive design philosophy, and his unique style by placing his creations in a stimulating and often tongue-in-cheek dialogue with treasures from the Museum of Arts and Design’s collection. The exhibition presents itself as an invitation to dive into Adler’s “glamorous, witty, and wonderful universe” and to rediscover the joy of design, craft, and creative freedom. It promises to sustainably enrich New York’s cultural scene and provide important impulses for the debate on contemporary design, the role of craft, and the subversive power of humor in art. Its long run until spring 2026 offers numerous visitors the opportunity to expose themselves to this infectious creativity.
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