Christopher Payne’s photographs at Cooper Hewitt shine a light on the craftsmanship of factory workers, sidestepping economic and political concerns to focus on the ingenuity behind American manufacturing.

In his decade-long project, Payne visited factories over 40 times to capture the transformation from raw materials to finished products. From Peeps to jet engines, his vivid images offer a glimpse into the processes that power our daily lives.

Organized in three sections, the exhibition traces the evolution of American manufacturing, from traditional handcrafts to cutting-edge technologies. Each image is meticulously composed, highlighting the skill and dedication of factory workers as they bring products to life through intricate machinery and manual labour.

Made in America invites viewers into the heart of industrial processes, revealing transformational moments when raw materials begin their journey to becoming familiar objects. The joy of recognition is palpable as we see everyday items in a new light, transformed by human hands and machines alike.