Carl Keksi

Carl Keksi was a visual documentarian active during a concentrated period between 1935 and 1938. Their known body of work is primarily associated with the Index of American Design (IAD), a federal art project initiated by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) during the Great Depression. Keksi contributed detailed renderings and documentation designs, focusing on historical American decorative arts and material culture.

The artist is credited with fourteen specific entries within the Index of American Design project, documenting objects made before 1890. These works capture the precise form and decoration of early American folk art, serving as valuable historical references. Examples of the objects documented by Keksi and represented in museum collections include a Friendship Quilt, a detailed rendering of a Wooden Stamp, and a design for the furniture piece known as the "Butler's Table". Further subjects documented include a Hooked Rug and a Mitten.

The archival documentation rendered by Keksi is held in major institutions, confirming its significance to American historical scholarship. These works are preserved within the collections of the National Gallery of Art. Due to their status as federal project documentation, many of these renderings are within the public domain, often made available as high-quality prints for researchers and enthusiasts. While evidence of Carl Keksi paintings or traditional prints is not widely documented, their technical contribution to the IAD remains a critical resource.