We went to the William Morris Gallery with the general election looming.
Should have clocked beforehand, this wasn't just about arts and crafts, but politics too.
William Morris was born in Walthamstow in the 19th century.
Not the Walthamstow we know today at the end of the Victoria Line,
...but a village in the Essex countryside, on the edge of Epping Forest.
We read that Morris was a social activist, becoming a socialist aged 50. But how did his anti-capitalist ideas fit into a life of arts and crafts?
William Morris, the eldest son, born into a wealthy family.
The kind of family who had their portraits painted.
Not necessarily the son they had in mind.
Marrying beneath him,
and rejecting the idea of becoming a clergyman to become an interior designer.
A designer of...
A designer of...
...wallpaper,
...ceramic tiles,
...furniture,
...tapestries
...and textiles.
Morris believed that beauty is a basic human need and created art for everyone.
Morris and Co built a brand that "only the most avant-garde bought from".
Bought by people with "rebellious taste".
That threw up a few questions. Today these quite mainstream designs don't strike us as rebellious and they're not necessarily that affordable. But Morris wasn't a fine artist, he applied his sense of design and values to household furnishings, bringing art into everyday life.
Morris hated the effects of industrialisation; slums, overcrowding, diseases and pollution.
His workshops were places where workers enjoyed clean air and rural surroundings.
Fabrics and wallpaper were block-printed, rather than use industrial rollers.
This was a time consuming process, making Morris & Co's products quite costly to buy.
William Morris set up shop in 1877 in Oxford Street and lived upstairs.
His major competitor was Libertys. That says something about his target market.
Choosing fabric today, little has changed.
The brand has endured and the William Morris Gallery has since embraced some higher tech 21st century printing techniques. On doors. I love good museum loos.
Until our visit to the William Morris Gallery we hadn't associated these well-known designs with his political ideals, of art for all and a fight against the poor conditions of industrial manufacturing. This still rings true when you consider much of worldwide manufacturing today. Discussing the impending general election, we had heard plenty of politician talk about wages, taxes and the like, but what about the arts and cultural learning? It feels like the arts are being side-lined.
What would William Morris make of today's political parties? Art, manufacturing, marketing and workers conditions all came together under his socialist remit. I'm not saying he got it all right, but I'd like to see the arts given equal weight and consideration in the political debate, especially when it comes to education.
The William Morris Gallery is open Wednesdays to Sundays.
A short walk from Walthamstow Central station. Details on their website, here.
If you would like to see excellent advocacy on the value of arts learning, check out the Cultural Learning Alliance's website. Read their manifesto, here, for "The benefits for young people of participating in arts and culture". The CLA continues to ensure that cultural learning is part of political debate. Rightly so.
I've always admired William Morris and his ideas on crafts and beauty - have you ever been to Kelmscott? It's a lovely place and I'm sure he was thinking of it's setting when he gave his book the title 'News from Nowhere' as it really is in the back of beyond even now:)
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful place. I love Morris designs and I like the idea that he wanted art for all. I wonder if 'all' were as ungrateful as they often are today when money is spent on public art projects?
ReplyDeleteWhat is rebellious in one era becomes mainstream in later times. Still love William Morris wallpapers (though I don't own any) and didn't realise he designed furniture etc too. Thank you for this review, would love to visit one day X
ReplyDeleteI fell in love with WM patterns many years ago and loved seeing how they were produced here. I saw he and Rosetti were featured in The Bohemians last night, that was an interesting programme.
ReplyDeleteLisa x
I'd love to visit this museum. I have always loved the medieval feel of the William Morris designs, and they really have stood the test of time. I've always loved the Pre-Raphaelites - their work and the stories of their intertwined lives.
ReplyDeleteA great post Katharine and another wonderful London museum to add to my list!
ReplyDeleteThank you for writing this post and bringing the William Morris Gallery to my attention, I'll have to pay a visit! It's such a shame that despite his efforts (and those of others) "art for all" is still so out of reach...
ReplyDelete(P.s. Hi I'm Jen)
What a wonderful place to visit!!!!!! It looks and sounds as though it was fantastic! I would love to go there. It is interesting to think as you said that something designed for all, but considered to be radical is now so readily available and not affordable for all! xx
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful museum, I've always liked William Morris's designs and his ideas on 'art for all' and the Arts and Crafts Movement in general. It must have been such an inspiring time, I'd love to visit here and Kelmscott - we found it once but it was closed on that day and we've never been back since:)
ReplyDeleteThis is on my "must visit" list - I'm very fond of Morris's designs and I love the man and his ideals. I also agree with what you say about arts learning. I was an arty child and am dismayed by how the arts have diminished in importance in education today. Sports were a bit of a boring torture for me - it is possible to be very fit and lively and not obsessed with sport and competition!
ReplyDeleteI didn't realise there was a William Morris gallery, somewhere to add to my list. I went to a William Morris & Andy Warhol exhibition in Oxford Modern Art museum a few months ago. It was very well done, looking at the similarities between the two artists (not ones I'd have previously connected!).
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