Alexander Girard’s Imagined Worlds Edited by Monica Obniski and Laura Addison

Alexander Girard’s Imagined Worlds (Hirmer Publishers, 2026) examines a modern design luminary whose collection of global folk art and vernacular forms informed his expansive design practice. The book centers the Museum of International Folk Art (MOIFA), its displays and archival collections, and Girard’s Santa Fe years as a locus for the designer-collector’s wide-ranging practices.

From his home and studio in Santa Fe, Alexander Girard’s work had international reach and profoundly impacted modern design. Lavishly illustrated and featuring thoughtful essays, this book explores new facets of Girard’s design production and folk art collection, underscoring the inseparability of the two, and culminating in his exhibition Multiple Visions: A Common Bond at MOIFA. By reflecting on selected displays, providing cultural context, and foregrounding artists and traditions, this publication offers new ways of approaching Girard’s legacy.