British Design: Innovation in the Modern Age 1948- 2012
"God Save the Queen" poster promoting the Sex Pistols, by Jamie Reid. Photograph by Victoria and Albert Museum
- Date
- Saturday 31st March - Sunday 12th August 2012
- Place
- V&A, Cromwell Road, London SW7 2RL
- Learn More
- http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/exhibitions/exhibition-british-design/
V&A curates an exhibit of post-war to present, with the best of British Design
The exhibition features 300 pieces spanning sixty years of design from all over Britain. A bountiful collection of product design, furniture, ceramics and glass, and sculpture will be on display as well as a consequential selection of photography, fine art, graphics, sculpture and architecture.
The exhibition consists of three main sections to exemplify the evolving eras from mid-century Britain to the new millennium. Tradition and Modernity involves the post-war development eras and the tension between these two philosophies in British culture. Subversion, presents the art and design character of the 60s-90s, an age of defiance against traditional mores and eras of significant trends- swinging 60s, 70s punk and 90s Cool Britannia. Finally, Innovation & Creativity connects art and design with industry, exhibiting commercial objects and technologies of the past 50 years; it further explores the discourse of commodity culture and globalisation.
Names inextricably linked to the advancement of British art & design will be represented through their works including: Robin Day’s Polyprop Chair, John Piper’s mural for The Festival of Britain, David Hockney and Henry Moore’s fine art pieces, and an evening gown from Alexander McQueen.The Lecson Audio system created by the co-founders of Meridian Audio in 1974 will make an appearance, which design critic Stephen Bayley described as: “The E-Type of consumer electronics : sleek, technically advanced, desirable. Each is that rarest of things : a British masterpiece of industrial design." The V&A will also showcase contemporary visions, for example, with a model of Zaha Hadid’s London Aquatics Centre.
