Help us rediscover unsung heroes of Pilkington’s past that deserve recognition. Unearthing benchmarks of design history, Chambers of Wonder will introduce a series of workshops and exciting opportunities for audiences to collaborate and mold the future of this cornerstone of Lancaster Arts’ collection.
Pilkington’s was a well-known art pottery manufacturer based in Manchester, operating between 1891 and 1938. As leading designers within the luxury market, their wares became known for their fashionable and ornate designs and they received a royal warrant from George V in 1913, becoming known as Royal Lancastrian Pottery and Tiles.
Between 1994 and 2002, Mary Chambers bequeathed an extensive collection of Pilkington Tile and Pottery ceramics of significant cultural value. Bordering between the time periods of arts and crafts and arts nouveau, these fascinating works embody a multitude of stories and hidden histories. The collection contains not only artefacts, but illustrations, catalogues, artworks, photography and research materials.
Lancaster Arts’ Chambers of Wonder project, supported by Museum Development North West, will provoke new investigations into the history, science and hidden narratives of this nationally significant collection.
Please join us as we delve into works by famous designers such as Charles Voysey, Alphonse Mucha, Lewis F. Day and Walter Crane.
Lancaster Arts invites you to a series of free workshops culminating in a new Chambers of Wonder display at the Peter Scott Gallery at Lancaster University in the spring of 2024.
Our Assistant Curator, Jacob Cordingley, will outline the project and offer help in researching these exciting works. We will encourage you to look at the collection in new ways, and bring your imagination to bear in telling the stories you believe are asking to be told.
This is an exciting opportunity to get involved and learn key research and writing skills, plus the chance to tell the stories of a remarkable collection.
Please join us for our next workshop taking place on the Wednesday 29 November, 1-3pm in the Peter Scott Gallery.
Chambers of Wonder is open to all. If you would like to register your interest, please email Jacob Cordingley on: jacob@lancasterarts.org
