Wiener Werkstätte show
Silver grid basket designed by Koloman Moser made by silversmith Josef Wagner 1904.
Middlesbrough’s Dorman Museum is hosting an exhibition on the Wiener Werkstätte from 1 July – 4 October
The Wiener Werkstätte (Vienna Workshop) was set up in 1903 by Josef Hoffman and Koloman Moser as an artists’ community to create well-designed objects accessible to all. It was very much an Arts and Crafts/design reform ideal and this is why the Dorman Museum, which has an important collection of pieces by Christopher Dresser in its Linthorpe pottery gallery, is interested in the workshop. ‘Lots of Dresser’s designs flow naturally into the workshop – he was an international figure and they were definitely aware of what he was doing,’ says curator Ken Sedman. ‘The show is really all about putting Dresser in context and exploring the evolution of design at that time.’
The Dorman exhibition features about 150 objects produced by the organisation during its 19-year history. They’re in a range of media and show the breadth of the design factory’s output with exhibits including wallpaper, textiles, ceramics, glass and metalwork. Some are by Werkstätte’s stars including an enamelled glass goblet designed by Josef Hoffman, a silver basket designed by Koloman Moser and made by the silversmith Josef Wagner. The exhibition also features pieces by some of the organisation’s female designers including ceramics by Vally Wieselthier and Suzi Singer.
www.dormanmuseum.co.uk
