News

September 2025

Saturday, October 4th, 2025

SEEDS OF REGIONALISM THE CLAUSS LEGACY: EARLY MODERNISM IN THE SOUTH

A new exhibition on view September 5th – November 9th at the Knoxville Museum of Art!

This exhibition excavates the unheralded legacy of Alfred and Jane West Clauss, who, in 1939, created the first modern deed-restricted subdivision in America-known colloquially in Knoxville as “Little Switzerland.” In the process, the Clausses laid the groundwork for what we now recognize as regional modernism.
Through original artifacts—including photographs, drawings, posters, furniture, graphic maps, home videos, and timelines—Seeds of Regionalism traces the DNA of this architectural subdivision and explores how the Clausses’ move to East Tennessee inspired them to experiment with blending modernist ideas with local traditions and a strong sense of place.

Co-curated by John Sanders and Richard-Allen Foster

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