William Morris Gallery Reopens After Major Rehang And Restoration

(MENAFN- USA Art News) The William Morris Gallery in Walthamstow, northeast London, is set to reopen this Saturday, October 3, following a significant rehang and restoration project. Located in a Grade II-listed manor where the artist lived as a teenager, the gallery has transformed six exhibition spaces, unveiled new discoveries, and reordered its collection to offer an expanded and nuanced perspective on its complex namesake.

This initiative marks the first major overhaul at the gallery since its 2012 redevelopment and coincides with the 130th anniversary of Morris's death. Architect Sam Jacob emphasized the building's original function as a home during the project, stating to The Art Newspaper,“What we tried to do all the way through was to try to bring a bit more of a domestic sensibility to it.” The restoration enhanced interior architectural details through careful color selection, commissioned local craftspeople to create furniture-like plinths, and introduced new elements to give the building a cozy and accessible feel. For instance, a hand-blown lamp by designer Stewart Hearn hangs above the front door, aiming to“make this feel like a home,” according to gallery director Hadrian Garrard,“and like a place that you don't feel intimidated to walk into.”

Garrard views this approach as consistent with Morris's philosophy and the institution's identity, which houses the world's most comprehensive collection of Morris's work as a designer, writer, and activist.“Morris said that the secret to a happy life is proper attention to the details of the everyday,” Garrard said.“So rather than us building a new wing, having a big piece of glass, and working with an architect to make a very overt statement, this is a room by room, detailed, thoughtful restoration that is financially sustainable and has been done in response to people that use the gallery.” The process involved consultations with Waltham Forest borough locals, inviting community members to contribute to interpretations of the artworks, holding family workshops for accessible labels, and establishing a community advisory panel for feedback on curation, communications, and interpretation.

The redevelopment also confronts the contradictory aspects of Morris's life and character, highlighting that he was born into privilege but pursued socialist ideals, desiring beautiful objects for all, yet his company, Morris & Co., produced textiles affordable only to the wealthy.

Throughout the house,“gentle prompts” allude to his complex biography, Garrard explained. The entrance hall's information desk, now redone in copper, serves as one such prompt. Garrard noted,“We chose copper because the reason William Morris was so well set up in life was due to his father's investment in the Devon Great Consols Mine in Tavistock,” where workers, including children, endured harsh conditions. The desk acts as“a tribute in a way to that complicated history,” Garrard added, confirming that a master engraver has been commissioned to inscribe words memorializing the mine's workers onto it.

Another example contrasts Morris's left-wing politics with Morris & Co.'s high-end products. A room features a“socialist red” ceiling above luxurious“picture gallery red” walls, as described by Jacob. Objects on display range from a large hanging textile commissioned for a wealthy patron's home to a satchel overflowing with radical socialist pamphlets published and distributed by Morris.“The idea was you'd have this beautiful interior and this object that sat really at odds with everything,” Garrard stated.“I want people to feel a little bit sick when they come in here.” There are future plans to add Morris's personal copy of Karl Marx's Capital, featuring an elaborate gold design, to the display.

Garrard emphasized that while the gallery does not exist to“worship heroes,” evidenced by the removal of a Morris bust from the foyer, he believes Morris remains a figure“worth celebrating” despite his contradictions, which he says often“conflict with all of us.” He concluded,“I think that's quite a nice thing with Morris: to look at the complexities of being a human being.”

Unseen Objects and Fresh Narratives

The rehang has brought numerous objects into public view for the first time or after a long absence. These include a dress designed by Morris for his wife, Jane, which she wore for the painting La Belle Iseult (1858), now at Tate Britain. Morris's banner for the Hammersmith Socialist League, which he co-founded, is on public display for the first time, on loan from The Working Class Movement Library in Manchester. Visitors can also see a lock of Morris's grey hair, cut by his friend John Carruthers after his death. Garrard described this as“a very magical object.”

A key objective of the project was to highlight underrepresented stories and figures from Morris's life. One section of the second room will explore the influence of Islamic art on his work, a theme previously addressed in a temporary exhibition at the gallery in 2024/25. The contributions of women in Morris's life will also be featured, such as his daughter May's Flower Garden embroidery design, created when she was director of embroidery at Morris & Co., and books from his other daughter Jenny's collection.

The gallery is also establishing a new project space,“ Morris Today,” expected to open in 2027, to support and promote future artists.

Funding for the project, approximately £1.5 million, was secured from trusts including The Garfield Weston Foundation and the Wolfson Foundation, with additional contributions from Waltham Forest Council. The gallery reopens with the exhibition Earthly Paradise: Radical Living in the UK, running from October 3, 2026, to Sunday, March 28, 2027. This exhibition investigates the lives and homes of individuals who have challenged artistic and other boundaries in Britain.

Garrard considers the completion of this revamp to be perhaps the“most important piece” of his work since becoming director in 2022, and he hopes it is just the beginning.“I don't think a museum is ever finished; they should change all the time,” he said, adding,“And I think the nice thing about Morris's ideas is that they're becoming more and not less relevant right now.”

Source: The Art Newspaper

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