V&A wallpaper rolls into Blackburn

Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery is hosting a new wallpaper exhibition with samples on loan from the V&A (Victoria & Albert Museum), which is on display now and will run until July 2020.

Six prints by British textile designer William Morris are at the heart of the display, opening a window into the Arts and Crafts movement against the backdrop of Blackburn’s world-famous manufacturing heritage.

Morris’ work will be featured alongside wallpaper recently acquired by the museum from artist and sculptor Halima Cassell, who created wallpaper designs with local manufacturer Graham and Brown.

The exhibition is part of the DesignLab Nation programme which aims to bring together secondary schools, local museums and local designers to inspire and preserve the essential role of design education.

This DesignLab Nation project is the third in the series, working with local schools, colleges and designers, funded through and under the guidance of the V&A in London.

DesignLab Nation is generously supported by Art Fund, The Foyle Foundation, with additional support from the Brian Mercer Charitable Trust, The Zochonis Charitable Trust and Sarah Nichols.

Councillor Damian Talbot, Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council’s Executive Member for Leisure and Culture, said:

We’re delighted to be working with the V&A and to have been chosen to host these fantastic examples of wallpaper design at Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery. I would urge people to visit the museum to see the exhibition whilst the pieces are on loan.

Pay a visit to the exhibition during the museum’s opening times: Wednesday to Saturday, 12 – 4.45pm.

Learn more about the V&A, the world’s leading museum of art and design.