Morris & Co. - The World of William Morris
William Morris
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14 March – 29 June 2008
“Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.”
William Morris, 1882
One of the greatest pattern designers of all time, William Morris – the man behind the firm Morris & Co. – led the arts and crafts movement of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. He remains a remarkable figure more than a century after his death.
It is therefore fitting that this spectacular retrospective is now on show at Christchurch Art Gallery, affording the designs the credibility that Morris himself felt they deserved.
This exhibition brings together some of the exquisite carpets, wallpapers, tapestries, ceramics, embroideries, furniture and textiles produced by Morris & Co. – as well as books from Morris’s renowned Kelmscott Press. Superb photographs of Morris & Co. stained glass windows in Canterbury can also be seen on the balconies upstairs at the Gallery.
Don’t miss this stunning collection presenting pattern as art and celebrating the traditional values of handcrafting, natural materials and thoughtful design.
To find out more about Morris & Co. and the exhibition, visit www.christchurchartgallery.org.nz/morrisandco
Morris & Company, London, Britain, 1861 - 1940. Attributed to J. H. DEARLE, designer, Britain, 1860 - 1932. Mantle border c.1890, London. Silk embroidery on cotton, silk fringe. South Australian Government Grant 1990. Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide.
March Event Highlights
Morris & Co. Guided Tours
Monday 17 March – Sunday 29 June, 2pm daily
Exhibition admission charges apply
Unless otherwise noted, the events listed below are free and will be held in the Philip Carter Family Auditorium.
Lucette Hindin as Jane Burden
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Contemporary Theatre: The Blue Silk Dress
Wednesday March 26, 7–9pm: Sunday March 23 & 30, 1.30 – 3pm,
Don’t miss this performance installation featuring Lucette Hindin as Jane Burden, the wife of William Morris – and the muse of Dante Gabriel Rossetti.
Venue: Foyer
Art in the Morning: William Morris: Love and Work
Saturday 22 March, 8.30am
Meet in Alchemy for a light breakfast followed by a private viewing of the exhibition with Gallery curator Peter Vangioni.
$35, Friends $20 (includes breakfast and discounted entry fee).
Email friends@ccc.govt.nz or tel 941 7356 to register.
Heroes and Villains in Morris’s World
Wednesday 26 March, 6pm
Morris’s work reveals a critique of Victorian society and his vision of a better world. Professor Pamela Gerrish Nunn from the University of Canterbury shows us how this is conveyed by his cast of characters.
For Morris & Co. events throughout the remainder of the exhibition visit www.christchurchartgallery.org.nz/morrisandco/events
Take home your own piece of Morris & Co.
A variety of Morris & Co. merchandise is now available from the Gallery Shop. To see more, visit www.christchurchartgallery.org.nz/morrisandco/merchandise
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