On Tuesday, May 14 The Aurelian welcomes noted Shaker scholar Sharon Duane Koomler and Shaker Museum’s Director of Collections and Research Jerry Grant for a closer look at the Shaker’s 250 years in America. Shaker Museum is leading the charge in preserving the Shaker legacy and design culture. They just received a $2.5 million grant from the New York State Council on the Arts which will help them build a state-of-the- art museum designed by the celebrated architect Annabell Selldorf. But who exactly were the Shakers and why are their contributions so ingrained in American history?
Named for their style of physical worship (dubbed the “Shaking Quakers,” as they quite literally shook), the Shakers arrived in America in 1774 in search of a new life and began to create communities that spread across the northeast. Founder Anne Lee built the belief system on ideals like gender equality, pacifism, communal property ownership and racial inclusion — much of it going against the norms of the 18th century. “The values that underpin [the Shaker] aesthetic are so attractive to people right now: gender equality, racial equality, sustainability,” says Lacy Schutz, director of the Shaker Museum.
They also became an iconic force in architecture, design and innovation. Though numbering just 6,000 at their peak in the 19th century, their dedication to timeless, simple designs that favor handcrafted skill and respect for materials has influenced everyone from famed artists like Ellsworth Kelly and Donald Judd to most of the popular design movements over the last century. And aesthetics weren’t their only contribution: the Shakers pioneered innovations like the wheelchair, the flat broom, washing machines and the circular saw. Their simple knits, which coined the term “shaker stitch” are still influencing designers today, and even led designer Emily Adams Bode to collaborate with the Shaker Museum in 2023. “‘I loved the idea that Shaker knits were synonymous with American traditions, and were made to last a lifetime or be passed down; there was and still is a general sense of timelessness to Shaker knits,” says Adams Bode.
The Shaker legacy of forward-thinking societal norms and dedication to simplicity, hard work and great design continues to influence artists, designers and innovators across the world today. Their legacy is also intrinsically tied to New York. Come learn about this truly unique New York story.
