Share the news!
Tools as Art: Work and Play at Stamford Museum & Nature Center on view through Sept 8, 2025
Stamford, CT — Tools as Art: Work and Play is now on view at the Stamford Museum & Nature Center throughout the summer.
Showcasing 68 prints, paintings and works of sculpture from the International Arts & Artists’ Hechinger Collection, the exhibition celebrates the creative transformation of common industrial objects into extraordinary works of art.
The exhibition honors the value of labor and the creativity of builders, artists, hobbyists and self-reliant DIYers while exploring three interrelated themes: tools as icons of labor, labor as a component of creativity, and creativity as a form of play.
“It’s not just an understanding of the humor or artistry of a particular piece, but an appreciation of how the Collection fits the general theme of tools in the workplace, tools in life and tools as art,” John Hechinger said, years ago.
Focusing on the creative process, the featured works represent a variety of media and disciplines at an artist’s disposal. Featured artists include Berenice Abbott, Georgia Deal, Jim Dine, Ke Francis, Jacob Lawrence, James Rosenquist, Claes Oldenburg, Richard Estes and Wayne Thiebaud.
About the Hechinger Collection: Founded in 1911, Hechinger's was once ubiquitous in the Mid-Atlantic United States as the destination for hardware and tools. When Hechinger moved the company to new corporate headquarters in 1978, he found the building efficient yet sterile. Believing that a good hardware store should inspire creativity and imagination for those with a passion to work with their hands, he set about filling the corridors and meeting rooms with art. Collectively, those pieces acquired over many years represent the heart of the Hechinger Collection.
Visit www.stamfordmuseum.org/tools to learn more.
Gallery hours: Daily, 9 AM to 5 PM. On view through Sept 8, 2025.
Getting there
Stamford Museum & Nature Center's Bendel Mansion & Galleries are located at 39 Scofieldtown Road, Stamford, CT (3/4 mile North of Merritt Parkway Exit 35.) For more information call 203.977.6521 or visit stamfordmuseum.org.
The Stamford Museum & Nature Center is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of art, the natural and agricultural sciences, and history. The Museum is a vital cultural and educational resource for the community, and a focal point for family activity and interaction, seeking to inspire creativity, foster self-discovery, and nurture an appreciation for lifelong learning through exhibitions, educational programs, and special events that enhance each visitor’s experience.
Exhibition organized through the Hechinger Collection and toured by International Arts & Artists, Washington DC: a non-profit arts service organization dedicated to increasing cross-cultural understanding and exposure to the arts internationally, through exhibitions, programs and services to artists, arts institutions and the public.
