The Museum of Craft and Design presents “Beyond the Button: A Virtual Exploration” of Beau McCall: Buttons On! This conversational event will feature visual descriptions, oral histories, and the clitter clatter sound of buttons in motion.

Buttons On! is a treasure trove of multisensory experiences. As an almost 40-year retrospective of Beau McCall, the exhibition not only showcases Beau’s evolving mastery of the button but also tells the story of one man who, in the face of racism, homophobia, and profound loss, has continued to meet the world with openness, resilience, and a desire to connect.

This free program is open to all. Visual descriptions and multisensory experiences are essential elements of museum access for the Blind and Low Vision community, but they are also tools of universal design that foster connections between the exhibition and people of all backgrounds. Complete the Google Form to register for the program today!

PRE-EVENT RESOURCES

Swing by the Museum of Craft and Design to explore the exhibition. Visual descriptions and AI-assisted learning are available via Ally and haptic pieces by Beau McCall are always on display.

These three haptic pieces showcase Beau’s use of symbolic buttons, his trademark two-layer button approach, and denim backings—a material choice that is both symbolic and pragmatic. Denim references America’s history of systemic racism, as it was commonly worn by enslaved people forced into labor, while its strength supports the accumulating weight of buttons.

Get to know Beau! Explore the links below to learn about the artist and the people he loved and lost. Plus, explore Beau’s archive of oral histories with The Button Jar and The Conversation.

Beau McCall: The Button Man
An introduction to Beau

Rewind: Memories on Repeat
This is a heavy but beautiful video in which Beau talks about people he’s lost.

The Button Jar and The Conversation
Recorded interviews between Beau and guests, curated by Souleo. See page three for ‘The Conversation’ stories.