Christopher Payne's Industrial Photography at Cooper Hewitt

Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum presents 'Made in America: The Industrial Photography of Christopher Payne,' a solo exhibition featuring 72 large-format photographs documenting American manufacturing. Payne, a trained architect, spent over a decade capturing active factories across the United States, from traditional handcraft to cutting-edge technologies. The show is organized into three sections: traditional handcraft, large-scale production, and advanced technologies. Images include Peeps, pencils, telescope components, jet engines, and a humanoid robot. The exhibition references 1930s–40s industrial photographers like Lewis Hine and Margaret Bourke-White, but focuses on skill and craftsmanship rather than labor issues. It is part of the Smithsonian's 250th anniversary celebrations. Curated by Susan Brown, the show runs through September 27 at Cooper Hewitt in Manhattan.