CENTENARY EVENTS & ACTIVITIES
AT THE VICTORIA & ALBERT MUSEUM

From the program accompanying the William Morris exhibition, 9 May -1 September 1996

WILLIAM MORRIS EXHIBITION

9 May-1 September 1996

The William Morris exhibition being held at the Victoria and Albert Museum from 9 May to 1 September 1996 represents the largest display ever mounted on the life and work of one of the most charismatic and influential British designers.

Marking the centenary of his death, it brings together over 500 works of art to reflect the enormous range of Morris's work. This includes wallpapers, ceramic tiles, linoleum, stained glass, table glass, tapestries, carpets, embroideries, calligraphy, printed books, paintings, drawings, design and furniture.

The exhibition also explores other sides of Morris's remarkable life: his searching criticism of British society; his involvement with the early Socialist movement; his work as author, poet, printer and calligrapher; his personal and family life; and his important role as a founder member and leading influence on the Arts and Crafts Movement in Britain and throughout the world.

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RELATED EVENTS

Tapestry Project
Groups: Friday 10 May to 30 August 1996 (except Friday 28 June)
10.15, 11.30 and 13.15
Individuals: Fridays and Saturdays 10 May to 31 August 1996.
Fridays 15.00-16.30 (earlier if there are no booked groups), except on Friday 28 June.
Saturdays 10.00-12.30 and 13.30-16.30

For the duration of the exhibition, textiles artist and environmental sculptor Julieann Worrall Hood will be working in a gallery near the exhibition on a specially commissioned tapestry based on William Morris textiles in the V&A;'s collection.

Educational groups can book individual sessions with Julieann who will explain the techniques of tapestry weaving and provide the opportunity for visitors to try their hand. Groups are limited by available space to 15 at a time (activity sheets will be available for others).

Individual visitors are welcome to drop in and meet Julieann. During Saturday morning sessions you can even have a go at weaving for yourself. Friday and Saturday afternoons will be demonstrations only.

An Evening for Educators
Monday 13 May 1996

This evening gives teachers, lecturers and community workers a chance to view the exhibition and attend an introductory talk on William Morris, his work and influences, given by Linda Parry, Curator of the William Morris exhibition.

William Morris - An Introduction for Teachers
Friday 17 May 1996
10.15-16.00

This course assumes no specialist knowledge of Morris and is designed for school teachers of all phases and specialists wishing to bring groups to the exhibition. Teachers will be provided with information about Morris, his work and his links with the Museum. the day will include practical work exploring ideas for studying Morris with pupils at the V&A; and a visit to the exhibition.

Gallery Talks for Student Groups
9 May-1 September 1996

Guided tours of the V&A;'s permanent collections based on themes relating to the exhibition are available for student and educational groups aged 18+ as follows (maximum 25 people per tour):

The History of the V&A
The Great Exhibition of 1851
Nineteenth-Century Fine and Decorative Arts
Arts and Crafts in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries.

Slide Lectures for Student Groups

Slide lectures about Morris and related themes can be arranged for individual groups. Please contact us well in advance, with a range of possible dates.

William Morris the Poet: Talk with Readings
Sunday 30 June 1996 at 14.30

Not content with his vast output in design of every sort, Morris was also an accomplished and considerable poet. On the death of Tennyson in 1892, he was sounded out as the next Poet Laureate but declined. Susan Morris and Alfred Bradley will present a selection of readings from Morris's poetry and relate them to the circumstances of his personal life.

Fabric Painting Workshop--Wearable Morris
Saturday 13 July 1996
10.00-12.00, 13.00-15.00 or 15.15-17.15

This workshop is aimed at anyone who would enjoy trying out hand painting onto fabric for the first time. Participants can decorate clothes or household items using Morris as inspiration.

South Asian Community Programme

The V&A 's South Asian Arts Education Programme encourages the study and appreciation of the South Asian cultural heritage amongst visitors from both the South Asian and non-south Asian communities. We also introduce the Asian community to the vast artistic heritage of other cultures that the V&A collections represent.

The South Asian Arts Education staff can visit community groups in advance of their visit to the Morris exhibition with a free slide presentation. For full details please see the leaflet William Morris Exhibition - Events and Activities for the South Asian Community. To obtain a copy phone 0171-938 8638.

Gallery talks in South Asian Languages

South Asian community groups can book free talks on William Morris (based on the Museum's permanent display, not in the exhibition) in either Urdu, Bengali, Gujarti, Hindi or Punjabi.

Chinese Community Programme

The Chinese Arts Education Programme organizes art appreciation and practical courses in Cantonese and Mandarin to allow Chinese speakers to further their enjoyment of the Museum's Chinese and other collections.

Full details and booking information about provision for the William Morris exhibition are provided in the special Chinese language leaflet William Morris Exhibition - Events and Activities for the Chinese Community. This also lists other Morris-related events. To obtain a copy, please telephone the Education Department on 0171-938 8638 or, if you speak Chinese only, telephone Alice Wong on 0171-938 8659.

Gallery Talks in Cantonese and Mandarin

Groups can book talks about William Morris in Cantonese or Mandarin. These are held in the permanent displays and cover themes related to William Morris and his life.

Conference: William Morris Reviewed
21-23 June 1996
10.00-17.30

This major three-day conference will take three very different aspects of Morris's life and assess their impact both at the time and today.

PROGRAMME

William Morris: The Designer
Friday 21 June 1996
Chair: Linda Parry, curator of the V&A William Morris exhibition.

In the light of recent research, speakers will consider the role of Morris as a designer in his own lifetime, and the effects of his work and ideas on contemporaries. The predominant twentieth-century view of Morris as a pioneer of the modern movement will be reassessed.

Speakers:
Professor Gillian Naylor, Royal College of Art, London
Douglas Schoenherr, National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa
Professor Jon Press, Bath College of Higher Education
Peter Cormack, William Morris Gallery, Walthamstow
Clive Wainwright, Research Department, V&A

William Morris: The Legacy
Saturday 22 June 1996
Chair: Paul Greenhalgh, Head of Research, V&A

Morris's ideas have made an immense impact on the social, cultural and political spheres in the twentieth-century. The speakers will reflect on what can be seen as both problematic and inspiring in this legacy.

Speakers:
David Crowley, University of Brighton
Michael Casson CBE, master potter and educator
Jan Marsh, historian and writer
Tony Benn MP, politician and writer
Professor Christopher Frayling, Royal College of Art, London

William Morris: The Educator
Sunday 23 June 1996
Chair: Francis Pugh, Education Department, V&A

This day will focus on Morris's concern for the relation between work, art and education as expressed in his writing and in his passionately argued lectures. Speakers will assess the response to his ideas at the time, their subsequent transmission overseas, and their relevance to current debates on education, particularly in the field of art and design.

Speakers:
Colin Ward, Visiting Centennial Professor, London School of Economics
Norman Kelvin, Professor of English, City College and Graduate Center, the City University of New York
Barbara Morris, former Assistant Keeper of Ceramics and Glass, V&A
Victor Margrie CBE, Visiting Professor, University of Westminster
Professor Toshio Watanabe, Chelsea College of Art and Design

Practical Courses:

Natural Dyes for Hand Wood Block Printing
14-17 May 1996, 10.30-16.30

Dissatisfaction with chemical dyes led William Morris to experiment with natural dyes whose use with wood block is an age-old craft in most parts of India. Indian palampores (painted cotton hangings) were a particular inspiration to him for their brilliant colors which were unharmed by repeated washings. This four-day practical workshop will be led by Vikram Joshi, an expert from India, who will explore the dyeing/printing techniques of Rajastan with wood blocks on cotton and silk.

Zandra Rhodes Masterclass
Wednesday 5, Thursday 6, Friday 7, Tuesday 11 and Wednesday 12 June 1996, 10.30-17.00
Slide Lecture Wednesday 5 June 1996. 10.30-12.30

While William Morris referred to the intricate beauty of plant forms for inspiration, so too in our own era Zandra Rhodes draws on natural forms such as shells and landscape for her garments. Her designs are worn and exhibited worldwide, including within the Museum's own Dress Collection.

The first three days of this masterclass, tutored by Zandra Rhodes, will take place at the V&A; and the last two at Zandra Rhodes' London studio. The masterclass is aimed at graduates and designers, and those who, whilst not having formal art training, would like to work at a fairly advanced level. Representations of the natural world found in the Museum's collections and the Morris Room will be reviewed to create fabrics that may be worn or used.

Ceramics: Throwing and Handbuilding--An Homage to William Morris
Tuesday 23 July to Friday 26 July and Monday 5 August 1996, 10.30-17.00

This five-day course, tutored by artist Lubna Chowdhary, is a collaboration between the V&A; and the Camden Arts Centre. Using basic techniques in ceramics, it will explore the creative process of working in this medium. Drawing from the Morris exhibition and other galleries in the Museum, participants will develop their own themes and subjects and work towards producing their own fired and glazed item. All but the first day will be based in the ceramics studio of the Camden Arts Centre in London. The course is suitable for both beginners and those with more experience.

Design History Course: William Morris in Context
Monday 15 July to Thursday 18 July 1996, 12.30-15.30
Friday 19 July 1996, whole day coach trip to Standen

This short course aims to provide the enthusiastic beginner with a stimulating introduction to William Morris and his milieu. Lectures and gallery talks will cover the wider cultural context of the mid-nineteenth century within which he operated, the contradictions within his life and work, and the considerable influence of his designs upon artists and craftspeople during the latter part of the century. The optional coach trip is to Standen, a property designed by Morris's close associate Philip Webb and decorated by Morris & Co in the 1890s. Speakers include Geoffrey Opie, Tim Barringer, Barbara Morris, Linda Parry, Francis Pugh, and Peter Smith.

Slide Lectures
All begin at 14.30

William Morris: The Painter
Wednesday 22 May 1996, Ray Watkinson

William Morris: The Calligrapher
Saturday 8 June 1996, John Nash

William Morris Wallpapers
Wednesday 19 June 1996, Lesley Hopkins

William Morris Furniture
Thursday 20 June, Frances Collard

William Morris: The Designer
Tuesday 25 June 1996, Stephen Astley

Music, Morris and Contemporary Visual Arts
Saturday 29 June 1996, David Huckdale

William Morris: Stained Glass and Church Decoration
Thursday 4 July 1996, Martin Harrison

William Morris Textiles
Monday 8 July 1996, Linda Parry

William Morris and the Kelmscott Press
Thursday 11 July 1996, John Dreyfus

William Morris: Domestic Decoration
Tuesday 16 July 1996, Linda Parry

Gallery Talks
All start at 14:30

These talks, lasting about an hour, explore items in the Museum relating to the context within which Morris worked.

Other Craft Movements at the Time of Morris
Wednesday 5 June 1996, Geoffrey Opie

The Great Exhibition and Victorian Design
Thursday 6 June 1996, Francis Pugh

Twentieth-Century Craft Movements
Wednesday 12 June 1996, Geoffrey Opie

Kunst und Kunstgewerbe (von Morris bis zum Ende de 19 Jahrhundert)
Tuesday 18 June 1996, Erica Millman

Furniture Design at the Time of William Morris
Saturday 22 June 1996, Sorrel Hershberg V&A

Islamic Motifs and William Morris
Thursday 27 June 1996, Eileen Graham

Talk in the Display 'Pre-Raphaelite Watercolors and Early British Photography'
Monday 22 July 1996, Catheryn Spence

Aesthetic Dress
Tuesday 23 July 1996, Imogen Stewart

Victorian Embroidery
Tuesday 30 July 1996, Imogen Stewart

Talks by Contemporary Artists
All start at 14.30

William Morris was one of the first advisors to the Museum and used the inspiration he drew from Museum objects in his own work. Contemporary artists talk about how they too have used the collections in this way.

Thursday 16 May 1996
Textile artist Penny Walsh talks about how today's V&A inspires her work.

Thursday 18 July 1996
Potter Julian Stair talks about the inspiration he gains from the V&A.