Nike: Form Follows Motion at MAD Traces Five Decades of Sneaker Design
From September 12, 2026, to March 7, 2027, the Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) in New York will present the U.S. debut of "Nike: Form Follows Motion." This exhibition, curated by Glenn Adamson and Marcella Hanika, traces Nike's journey from a modest Oregon-based company to a dominant force in global design. Featuring more than 200,000 items from the Department of Nike Archives, it showcases prototypes, sketches, and legendary models such as the Waffle Trainer and Air Jordan. The display is divided into four segments: Track, Air, Sensation, and Relation, and spotlights designers like Diane Katz, Tinker Hatfield, and Eric Avar, along with public programming. Situated at 2 Columbus Circle, it delves into Nike's impact on industrial design and cultural memory.
Key facts
- The exhibition runs from September 12, 2026, to March 7, 2027, at the Museum of Arts and Design in New York.
- It is the U.S. premiere of a presentation originated by Germany's Vitra Design Museum.
- Curated by Glenn Adamson with assistant curator Marcella Hanika.
- Draws from the Department of Nike Archives, which contains more than 200,000 objects.
- Organized into four chronological sections: Track, Air, Sensation, and Relation.
- Features iconic models including Waffle Trainer, Air Force 1, Air Jordan, Air Max, Flyknit, and Vaporfly.
- Highlights Bill Bowerman's waffle iron experiments and the Tennessee State University Tigerbelles.
- Includes 50 examples of footwear from artistic partnerships and community-driven projects in the Relation section.
Entities
Artists
- Glenn Adamson
- Marcella Hanika
- Bill Bowerman
- Phil Knight
- Frank Rudy
- Michael Jordan
- Serena Williams
- LeBron James
- Diane Katz
- Tinker Hatfield
- Eric Avar
- Daniel Streat
Institutions
- Museum of Arts and Design
- Vitra Design Museum
- Nike
- Department of Nike Archives
- Tennessee State University Tigerbelles
- Nike Sport Research Lab
- New York Art Life
- JA Projects
- Visual Fields
- StreetArtNews
- Museum of Arts and Design (MAD)
- Casa de las Alhajas by La Fábrica
Locations
- New York
- United States
- Oregon
- Germany
- 2 Columbus Circle
- Weil am Rhein
- Madrid
- Spain
- Phoenix
- Arizona