Christopher Frayling
The inaugural exhibition at the Museum of Manufactures — the precursor of today's V&A — opened in 1852 with an attempt to demonstrate "correct" design and good taste by displaying examples of "utterly indefensible" design. This brainchild of Henry Cole, the Museum's first Director was affectionately referred to as "the chamber of horrors". The intended audiences were students of design, commentators, and shoppers who needed to be protected from selecting vulgar products. Although many were lost, all remaining exhibits have been assembled for this talk, which takes us round the "chamber of horrors" and revisits this doomed attempt to define good and bad taste...
This event is kindly supported by Neil Adams, and Judy Collingham