A series of conversations at MAD to accompany The Mad MAD World of Jonathan Adler, “On the Couch with Jonathan Adler” seats the celebrated potter and designer next to leading contemporary design curators and critics. With Adler’s optimistic, irreverent perspective on “the work” sparking against the keen insights of the design world’s liveliest thinkers and writers, the evenings promise to kindle fresh conversations about the important influences on Adler’s craft-based design practice. 

It's a Hanukkah edition of “On the Couch!” Join Jonathan Adler and art historian Rachel Federman for a wide-ranging conversation exploring the convergence of mid-century modern abstraction and modernist synagogue design, both important influences on Adler’s work. Federman will present a selected history of post-WWII modern design within houses of Jewish worship in America, while Adler will discuss how these design expressions of Jewish identity have also found a home in his creative practice.

About the Participants 

Jonathan Adler’s mission: to bring Modern American Glamour to your life. How? By creating a foundation of timelessly chic furniture and accessorizing with abandon. 

It all started with pottery. Jonathan first gave the wheel a spin at summer camp when he was 12 years old. He was obsessed with clay the moment he touched it. Unfortunately, his passion wasn’t always encouraged. After his college professor told him, “You have no talent. Move to New York and become a lawyer,” he attempted to comply, moving to the city and working in the entertainment biz. Three years later he quit and went back to the wheel. 

In 1993, Barneys bought his collection of pots, and in 1998, he opened his first store.  Now he has stores located around the globe and his offerings span furniture, lighting, décor, and more.  His products – and iconic interior design projects such as the Parker Palm Springs – are all rooted in his commitment to outstanding design, impeccable materials, and unparalleled craftsmanship.  

His motto? “If your heirs won’t fight over it, we won’t make it.” 

Rachel Federman is an art historian, writer, and curator, who previously worked at the Morgan Library & Museum and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. She has curated exhibitions of Bruce Conner, Bridget Riley, and Maurice Sendak, among others, and published essays on numerous artists, including Jay DeFeo, Paul McCarthy, Allen Ruppersberg, Betye Saar, and synagogue designer Amiram Shamir. Federman is currently writing a biography of the pioneering artist and art dealer Betty Parsons. She holds a PhD from the Institute of Fine Arts at New York University.