About this event

The Ruskin – Library, Museum and Research Centre proposes an integrated programme comprising a digital exhibition, micro-commission and workshop, exploring the practices, politics and economics of craft. These activities will shape the development of a major exhibition at The Ruskin in 2021. The programme draws on Ruskin’s ideas about craft and society. Living in the North of England during the industrial revolution, Ruskin saw first-hand the transformation of cities, people and things as a result of industrialisation. In his writing, Ruskin’s vision for a better society is communicated through craft processes and principles. His work anticipates contemporary concerns including the human cost of mass production, the environment and sustainability. In 2020, nations and individuals have the opportunity to examine and reset their priorities. This programme will explore what can be learned from craft today. Exhibition ‘A Model Archive’ is a digital exhibition exploring the relevance of the design archive today for different uses, and users. Through material spanning 1731 to today, it brings together diverse typologies of making to unsettle existing concepts of the design archive; explore new ways of interpreting objects and the stories of the people who imagined, made and used them; and speculate on the future of the archive in a digital world. Micro-Commission A commission for an early-career artist engaged in a regional and/or at-risk craft. The commissioned work will be included in The Ruskin’s on-site edition of ‘A Model Archive’ in 2021. Event A workshop brings together makers, researchers and publics to explore approaches to craft in the digital age; maker/craft culture as a tool in regenerating place; and making to preserve cultural memory and regional identity.

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Partner information

Lancaster University

https://www.lancaster.ac.uk
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