Jonathan Adler has always marched to the beat of his own drum. Now, the celebrated potter, designer, and unapologetic champion of craft returns to the very museum where he sold his first pots three decades ago—the Museum of Arts and Design (MAD)—for his first-ever curatorial project: The Mad, MAD World of Jonathan Adler. The exhibition, on display from May 31 through Apr 19, 2026, is a playful, immersive journey through Adler’s creative universe.
The show brings together over 60 works from MAD’s permanent collection, handpicked by Adler, and displays them alongside his own designs. Adler organized the exhibition as a series of vignettes, with each section exploring a different aspect of his creative fascinations. To start, Authentica shows his admiration for mid-century ceramics’ sleek minimalism, and Optimistica is a burst of color and exuberance. In Funkyana and Kottler-ia, the cheeky spirit that runs through Adler’s work finds a home, while Erotica dials up the heat. Americalia is Adler’s tongue-in-cheek tribute to red, white, and blue iconography; Metallica, a shimmering showcase of glimmering metalwork; and Animalia showcases Adler’s signature animal motifs.
Utopia Carmen Bowl by Jonathan Adler.
Simon Doonan, former creative director at Barneys New York and Adler’s husband, staged each vignette to create a series of playful, visually striking tableaux that invite visitors to explore the connections between Adler’s work and the broader history of craft and design. The result is both a celebration of Adler’s journey and a tribute to the makers who inspired him.
In an exclusive first look, ELLE Decor caught up with Adler to chat about the stories behind the show, his selection process, and what he hopes visitors will take away from this witty, joyful, and deeply personal exhibition.
ELLE Decor: How did The Mad, MAD World of Jonathan Adler come to fruition?
Jonathan Adler: How it came to fruition is a 46-year story. When I first touched clay at summer camp and started my love affair with clay, I became not just an obsessive potter, but an obsessive fan of pottery and craft in general. I was such a nerd—when a typical teen might’ve been standing by the mailbox waiting for the latest copy of Sports Illustrated, I was standing by the mailbox waiting for the latest copy of Ceramics Monthly. I lived in a farm town about three hours from New York, but I could often be found going to New York City over the weekend and visiting the American Craft Museum, which is the former name of the Museum of American Art and Design. For me, it was the holiest of places, so it’s surreal to be doing an exhibition at “my temple.” It’s a very satisfying full-circle moment because it’s me curating, from the MAD archive, pieces by some of my favorite craftspeople who’ve inspired me, as opposed to just stuff that I have made.
Resurrection, 1958 by Alice Adams
And your first ever pottery sale was at the MAD!
Yes, it was! I was 27, and I thought, “You know what, a normal life ain’t gonna work out, so I’m gonna give it a go as a potter.” And the very first place I went to was the shop at the Craft Museum. The very nice shop owner took a chance on me and took my work. That was the first place I ever sold, and now here I am 30 years later doing this exhibition.
How does it feel now returning as a curator?
It’s been a little bit of a heavy experience because I’ve been at it for 30 years, and typically when one is in the middle of work, you don’t really have a chance to reflect. This has been an amazing opportunity for me to reflect on how I’ve gotten to where I am, and perhaps to show to the public that my work, while I strive to make it look contemporary and effortless, is very much grounded in my love for and my knowledge of craft history. I hope that really comes through in the show. In some sense, I strive to be a bridge between the American craft movement of the last century and design today, and I hope that this show shows how that all happened.
Guilt Feeler, 1967 by Howard Kottler
How did you choose these works?
In a funny way, it was about me remembering who my heroes were. I had to have a piece by Hans Coper, whose focus on craft and pared down, sincere beauty was hugely inspirational to me.I had to have a piece by Betty Woodman whose focus on craftsmanship was merged with a sense of joy. And I had to have a piece by Howard Kottler who was a postmodernist, aversive ceramic artist. It was a chance to revisit my heroes and see how all of their sensibilities have found their way into my own work.
What do you hope visitors will take away from the exhibit?
I hope that it will make people love craft and appreciate it. More than anything, I think it’s a celebration of how creativity can inspire even more creativity.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Julia Cancilla is the engagement editor (and resident witch) at ELLE Decor, where she oversees the brand’s social media platforms, covers design trends and culture, and writes the monthly ELLE Decoroscope column. Julia built her background at Inked magazine, where she grew their social media audiences by two million and penned feature articles focusing on pop culture, art, and lifestyle.
