Studio: international art (86.1923)

THE BRITISH INSTITUTE OF IN-
DUSTRIAL ART. 0000

THE British Institute of Industrial Art
recently assembled in one of the gal-
leries of the Victoria and Albert Museum,
South Kensington, a varied and fairly re-
presentative collection of modern handi-
crafts and industrial art. Since their first
exhibition was held there in 1923 the
position of the Institute has been strength-
ened by a co-operative arrangement with
the Design and Industries Association and
the Civic Arts Association. This merging
of kindred organizations should help the
Institute in its efforts to stimulate a de-
mand for beauty in commercial produc-

tions. This recent exhibition impressed
one, on the whole, more favourably than
former displays when certain glaring omis-
sions detracted largely from their value.
The significance and importance of a col-
lection of modern productions of this
description must be judged by such evi-
dence as may be provided of intelligent
and encouraging achievement in the more
important branches of applied art, rather
than in the many charming but trivial
experiments of students and semi-amateurs.
One does not wish to depreciate the value,
for instance, of a well-designed and em-
broidered sampler, and such things deserve
every encouragement, but-—not too many
of them, please ! A large percentage of

DRESSER IN ENGLISH QUARTERED
OAK. DESIGNED BY GORDON RUS-
SELL J MADE BY RUSSELL AND SONS

(British Institute of Industrial Art)

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