Charleston Festival 17-26 May

We'll be heading to the renowned and fabulous Charleston Festival once again this year. 

Charleston

Set in the beautiful surroundings of Charleston (East Sussex), which was the home and country meeting point of the writers, painters and intellectuals known as the Bloomsbury Group,the festival takes place from 17-26 May and is an annual fundraising event in aid of the Charleston Trust. With plenty of space to relax on the green grass, it's an ideal opportunity to bring your own picnic, or head to the tea tent or bar for refreshments. 


With writers taking centre stage, the programme of thought-provoking talks and discussions provides the perfect way to relax and reflect. Here are our picks of the many events taking place:


Friday 17th: 'Rooms of their Own' discovers three groundbreaking female writers: Jane Austen, Rebecca West and Sylvia Plath. With readings by actress Juliet Stevenson.

Sunday 19th: ‘Hello World’ offers the opportunity to reflect on the role of art and design in contemporary society. Alice Rawsworth and Charles Saumarez Smith lead the discussion.

The Jazz Age

Wednesday 22nd: 'The Jazz Age' explores the artists, authors, painters, scientists and politicians who made this remarkable new age. Includes discussion by Sarah Churchwell on the chaotic world inhabited by Scott Fitzgerald.

Thursday 23rd: 'Trauma and Creativity' puts booze, creativity and chaos centrestage in the overlapping worlds of writers and their work.


Friday 24th: 'Not for Turning': in conversation with Charles Moore, whose authorised biography of Margaret Thatcher has been hailed as one of the great political biographies of our time.

Messiahs of Modernism

Sunday 26th May: 'Messiahs of Modernism': Alex Danchev's new biography provides a deeper insight into C20th  painter Paul Cezanne, whose tiny painting of apples was bought by Keynes and taken to Charleston.



Podcasts, photos and tweets will be uploaded regularly on the Charleston Festival Live page throughout the festival. For further information follow the link: 
www.charleston.org.uk/whats-on/festivals/the-charleston-festival/



All images courtesy of The Charleston Trust via the Charleston website.

National Theatre Live at your local cinema...

We can't wait to see the sell-out West End production of The Audience live at our local cinema in Sheffield on 13 June.

The highly acclaimed play, in which Helen Mirren reprises her Academy Award winning role as Queen Elizabeth II, is being screened live across the UK as part of the National Theatre Live programme. 

The Audience:
John Major (Paul Ritter) and
Queen Elizabeth II (Helen Mirren).
Photo by Johan Persson.

National Theatre Live is a fabulous experience, taking you to the heart of live London theatre from your local cinema. Launched in June 2009, this groundbreaking scheme brings London stage productions live to cinemas via satellite transmission, which means that it's truly live, with no time lags.

The Audience:
Margaret Thatcher (Haydn Gwynne).
Photo by Johan Persson

The Audience sees the Queen holding her weekly private audience with each of the 12 Prime Ministers who have come and gone during her 60 year reign. From Churchill to Major, Thatcher to Brown, the play imagines the conversations which happened in these very private meetings.

Check out the National Theatre Live,web site for an enticing programme of productions throughout the spring and summer:
http://ntlive.nationaltheatre.org.uk/about-us


All images courtesy of National Theatre Live

Why William Morris is still relevant today.

Our feature blog explores William Morris and the Arts and Crafts Movement, whose enduring principles remain highly relevant today.

The roots of Arts and Crafts

William Morris, 1884, photographed
by Frederick Hollyer

'Have nothing in your house which you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful' could easily be the strapline of a C21st interior designer. It was, of course, one of the guiding maxims of the C19th designer and a founding father of the Arts and Crafts Movement, William Morris (1834-1896). 

A man of boundless energy and extraordinary abilities, Morris achieved success in a number of fields as well as design. As an accomplished poet, he was offered but turned down the position of Poet Laureate when Alfred, Lord Tennyson died in 1892. As a pioneering conservationist, he founded the Society for the Protection of Ancient  Buildings (SPAB), which remains the largest and oldest organisation working to save precious old buildings. Morris was also an artist, political activist, social reformer, publisher and craftsman. When he died at the age of 62, his doctor declared the cause was 'simply being William Morris and having done more work than most ten men.'

As a period, the Arts and Crafts Movement can be placed between 1860-1910, and was at its most influential during the late C19th and early C20th.  Its approach and guiding principles were developed by Morris and inspired by the thinkings and writings of art critic and social thinker John Ruskin (1819-1900) and architect and designer Augustus Pugin (1812-1852), an exponant of the Gothic Revival style. Pugin's advocacy of  truth to material, structure and function in design and Ruskin's exploration of the relationship between art, society and work were hugely influential. Preserving and emphasising the natural beauty of the materials used and placing great value on work and the joy of craftsmanship became core principles of the Arts and Crafts Movement. 

Morris was also influenced by his friend, Pre-Raphaelite Dante Gabriel Rossetti, in particular Rossetti's concern with Medieval subjects and styles. Indeed, Rossetti was a partner in 'The Firm',  the interior furnishings and design company established by Morris, otherwise known as Morris, Marshall, Faulkner and Co (later Morris & Co). Rossetti also had a long-term affair with Morris's wife, Jane, who was the subject of many of Rossetti's paintings.

The Arts and Crafts principles developed by Morris were a reaction to developments during the Victorian period when mass production and the inevitable de-skilling of traditional craftsmen became widespread. Morris and his friends felt dismayed by the mass produced exhibits on show at the Great Exhibition held in 1851.

In 1861, following a fruitless search for well designed and constructed furnishings for his new home, Red House, Morris decided to set up his own furnishings business, along with a small group of like-minded friends and Morris, Marshall, Faulkner and Co (which from 1875 became Morris & Co) was born. 

Arts and Crafts style and philosophy

                                                                                                                     

Sussex armchair, ca 1860
designer Philip Speakman Webb,
maker Morris and Co, England

The Arts and Crafts style was built around core principles of:

Truth to materials (only the best quality, natural materials were used)
Simple forms (nothing superfluous and no elaborate decoration)
Natural motifs (designs from nature feature heavily, including floral illustrations)
Local traditions (traditional skills and techniques are used in the making of products, moving away from mass production)

Morris emphasised both beauty and practicality (form and function) in design. High standards of design were essential to his work as was the use of only the best quality materials. His forward-thinking approach also embraced his workforce, in particular Ruskin's advocacy of dignity in labour. Karl Marx (Das Kapital was published in 1867)  proposed that de-skilled workers became alienated from the product they were making and gained no fulfilment from their work. The Arts and Crafts Movement's return to traditional handicrafts such as embroidery and carpentry, required skilled workers who, in turn, gained satisfaction from the products they made. Morris's workers also enjoyed good conditions and fair wages and an environment where men and women worked together as co-workers. 

Morris's principles were applied not only to the design and making of simple, beautiful furnishings, but also to the look and feel of the entire surroundings in the home. In his 1885 lectures entitled ‘How we live and how we might live’ he promoted informal, light, airy and uncluttered spaces. In his 1880 lecture 'The Beauty of Life' he urged of the need to 'clear our houses of troublesome superfluities that are for ever in our way'. He also spoke of the 'tons upon tons of unutterable rubbish pretending to be works of art' in London homes. Gone were the cluttered, dark, heavily embellished interiors which marked high Victorian style. Instead, Morris's look was lighter, simpler and more informal. 

Morris sold a lifestyle.  'The Firm' produced its own fabrics, wallpapers, stained glass, ceramics, light fittings and furniture. The wide range of interiors products available from the premises on Oxford Street which opened in 1877, meant that everything for the discerning Victorian's interior decoration could be bought from one place. 

The growing middle classes in Victorian England eagerly embraced the Morris style and way of life.  The Sussex Chair became a cult 'must have' for the Victorian middle classes. By the 1880s Morris was in such high demand that he had to find ways of rationing his time, which he did  by charging extortionate prices for personal visits to the home. 

Fruit (Pomegranate)
design by William Morris, 1862

His fabrics were the finest quality, with intricate, often floral, designs. Morris experimented with the use of colour and refused to use chemical dyes, which produced an inferior quality colour. Instead, he returned to using animal and vegetable dyes with which he experimented in order to achieve vivid, rich colours as well as the softer, more muted colours he desired.

His handmade wallpapers, with their exquisite designs often taken from nature,  were particularly expensive. By the late 1890s, it was reported that  Morris wallpapers were commonly found in 'artistic' middle-class homes and, according to the Daily Telegraph, typical clients of Morris & Co were 'university dons'. Morris himself preferred embroidered wall hangings to wallpaper, which he viewed as second best.

Inevitably, many of Morris's products were too expensive for most and remained within the reach of only those of means. This was at odds with his socialist politics and beliefs and was something which did not sit easily with him.

Enduring Arts and Crafts influence

Morris's work had widespread influence. It led to the establishment of a number of 'arts and crafts' guilds and societies, including the Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society founded in 1887, from which the movement took its name. 'Craft communities' were also established in the countryside in places such as the Cotswolds. Rural craft traditions were revived and local resources, including local woods, were used to make furniture.

In Scotland, the new building for the Glasgow School of Art was designed by Art Nouveau architect and designer Charles Rennie Mackintosh and the 'Glasgow style' flourished. Mackintosh and other architect/designers such as Frank Lloyd Wright were designing furniture from the same materials as the houses themselves in order to promote a whole, integrated space. They created open plan, informal interiors with the Arts and Crafts emphasis on light and space. 

Table ca 1898-99, designer/ maker
Richard Riemerschmid, Munich

In the United States, Gustav Stickley was a prominent designer in the American interpretation of the Arts &Crafts style and in Japan the movement was known as the Mingei (Folk Crafts) period.

Companies such as Heals and Liberty quickly adopted the Arts and Crafts look and, by undercutting prices, they made Arts and Crafts furniture more accessible to those who otherwise wouldn't have been able to buy into the lifestyle. 

The simplicity of Arts and Crafts style inspired movements such as Art Nouveau (at its height from around 1890-1910) and its influence can even be seen in Modernist emphasis on practical design (form follows function), rejection of decoration (ornament is crime) and belief in the power of design to transform society.

Morris's approach, which became known as the 'Arts and Crafts' style, changed the face of design and decoration and Arts and Crafts remains one of the most influential design movements of modern times. 

His principles  of clean, simple lines, airy spaces, high quality design and craftsmanship are as relevant today as they were over 100 years ago.

Places to visit:

This is a list of places we love and would highly recommend:

The Victoria and Albert Museum has a large collection of Arts and Crafts design, including excellent examples of furniture by major designers: http://www.vam.ac.uk/

Red House, Bexleyheath, was the home designed by architect Philip Webb for Morris and his wife, Jane. With many original features and original items of furniture and art, plus a wonderful garden. http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/red-house/

Standen House, Sussex is a late Victorian family home set in beautiful countryside, designed by Philip Webb and with interiors by William Morris  http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/standen/

Wightwick Manor has beautiful Arts and Crafts interiors and a remarkable collection of original Pre-Raphaelite paintings www.nationaltrust.org.uk/wightwick-manor/

Further reading:

These are books we have read and would recommend:

The Arts and Crafts Movement in Britain , Mary Greenstead, (Shire History)

Arts and Crafts Architecture, Peter Davey, (Phaidon Press Ltd)

The Arts and Crafts Country House: from the archives of Country Life, (Aurum Press Ltd)

The Arts and Crafts Companion, Pamela Todd, (Thames and Hudson Ltd)

William Morris, Fiona MacCarthy, (Faber & Faber) 

Related events:

The V&A Museum is holding a study day, William Morris Textiles and Wallpapers, on Saturday 15th June 2013, 2-5pm.  Follow the link for more information. 

Information for this blog was sourced from the books listed above and from the V&A Museum web site.

All images courtesy of the Victoria and Albert Museum, London.

Craigie Aitchison retrospective:Waddington Custot Galleries

Portrait of Patrick Conyngham1980s,oil on canvas
Image courtesy of Waddington Custot Galleries

Craigie Aitchison's images of precise, simple still lifes, crucifixions, Bedlington terriers and portraits are instantly recognisable and often curious. We recently visited a retrospective of his later works at the London-based Waddington Custot Galleries.

49 of the late Scottish painter's works, all owned by the Irish critic and writer Sheelagh Cluney, were exhibited covering the period from the late 1970's until his death in 2009. The collection demonstrated the artist's typical use of bright colours and blocks of colour, along with his technique of diluting, scraping and wiping oil paint onto the canvas, making it almost translucent

Bedlington in the Moonlightc.1992, oil on canvas
Image courtesy of Waddington Custot Galleries

The Waddington Custot Galleries deal in modern and contemporary works of art and also hold regular single-artist exhibitions.For details visit www.waddingtoncustot.com/gallery

We often stock paintings from across the centuries, including C20th British art, so keep an eye on our web site for our latest finds...current stock

David Bowie is... at the V&A

Blog by Prudence, age 10 years.

This week I went on a school trip to the David Bowie exhibition at the V&A museum in London. I didn't really know very much about David Bowie before the trip.

David Bowie striped body suit
for Aladdin Sane tour 1973
Image courtesy of Victoria & Albert Museum, London.

We saw lots of his original stage costumes. My favourites were the vinyl bodysuit designed by Kansai Yamamoto for the Aladdin Sane tour in 1973 and the Union Jack coat designed by Alexander McQueen, which David Bowie wore on the 'Earthling' album cover (1997).

There were huge screens showing David Bowie performing live in his costumes and lots of images of him over the years. There were handwritten song lyrics and his own instruments.  There was also a made-up set of a recording studio and through our headphones we could hear him making a recording. It was as if we were really there!

David Bowie is....
Image courtesy of Victoria & Albert Museum, London.

And of course there was David Bowie's music everywhere...

I really like his flamboyance; his outrageous hair styles, make-up and costumes. His look never stays the same, it is always changing.

 My mum saw David Bowie on his Glass Spider tour at Maine Road, Manchester in 1987. She would really love the exhibition. I would say it is highly recommended for all the family.



David Bowie is...at the V&A Museum until 11th August 2013.

New V & A Museum Furniture Gallery

For those who share our passion for furniture design throughout the centuries, the new Furniture Gallery at the V&A Museum is highly recommended.

Table from Warwick Castle, English, circa  1670-80 .
Image courtesy of Victoria & Albert Museum, London.

The Gallery displays British and international furniture from the C15th to the present day and explores design, construction and decorative techniques over 6 centuries.

There are over 200 pieces of outstanding furniture on display, with designers ranging from Thomas Chippendale to Tom Dixon. 25 or so of the pieces are arranged in chronological order, with other pieces being arranged by technique. There is a clear emphasis on how things are made and the skills of the designers and makers. It is amazing to see centuries-old techniques still in use today.

Chair for the Ward Willets House designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, USA, 1902
Image courtesy of Victoria & Albert Museum, London.

Follow the link for more information: V & A Furniture Gallery

Irreverent architect Frank Gehry celebrates 84th birthday

Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao: Image via anaru

This week, on 28th February, architect and designer Frank Gehry celebrated his 84th birthday. Whilst best known for his architectural designs- including the Dancing House in Prague and the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao- Gehry, like many architects over the centuries, is also a respected designer of furnishings.

Easy Edges Wiggle Side Chair (1972):
Image via patrickd

Like his architectural designs, Gehry's furniture is visually striking, often using unconventional materials such as corrugated cardboard (Easy Edges, 1969-73).

The relationship between furniture and architecture has been a consideration throughout the centuries. In England during the C18th the importance of this relationship grew considerably and influential architect/designers such as Robert Adam emerged. Classical architectural design is evident in the work of furniture designers such as Thomas Sheraton (1751-1806), reflecting the emphasis which was placed on this topic during a designer's training and education.


Architects across the centuries who are also renowned for their furniture designs include Robert Adam (1728-1792), Augustus Pugin (1812-1852), Frank Lloyd-Wright (1867-1959) and Gio Ponti (1891-1979).

Many C20th furniture classics have been designed by architects, including the Barcelona Chair (Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe, 1929).

Listen here to architects, along with designers and curators, discussing some of the most outstanding furniture designs over the centuries: www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/audioslideshow/2012/nov/27/v-and-a-furniture-gallery-slideshow