2014 marks the 40th anniversary of the landmark ‘Destruction of the Country House’ exhibition at the V&A, which led to the founding of SAVE Britain’s Heritage in the following year, and to celebrate this SAVE is helping mount a dual exhibition at the V&A during the London Design Festival (September 13 – 21) which will continue at the museum until October 27th.
SAVE writes:
Since then SAVE has been directly and indirectly involved with saving a large number of country houses throughout the country.
To celebrate this SAVE is helping mount a dual exhibition at the V&A during the London Design Festival (September 13 – 21) which will continue at the museum until October 27th. The two exhibits have been sponsored by Gallery Sienna – friends and supporters of SAVE – and will be accompanied by a series of events.??The exhibits at the V&A comprise a display by Marcus Binney, SAVE’s Executive President, entitled ‘Country House, Past, Present and Future’ – a documentary on both lost and saved country houses.
This new display echoes the original exhibition’s ‘Hall of Destruction’, presenting a cascade of the finest lost country houses. Alongside it highlights the story of many others rescued from demolition and decay and adapted to sympathetic new uses. It also looks back to the 1974 exhibition, its impact including massive press coverage which led to the founding of SAVE Britain’s Heritage, and a deeper national appreciation of the value these historic structures represent.
The other exhibit will be the world’s first 12K Sculptural Video Art Triptych entitled ‘Breathless Beauty, Broken Beauty’ created by artist film maker VanessaJane Hall. This immersive audio visual work takes the observer on an atmospheric journey exploring the glory and the agony of the English country house.
Marking 40 years since the V&A’s 1974 ‘Destruction of the Country House’ exhibition.
The 1974 exhibition was curated by John Harris, Marcus Binney and Peter Thornton for Roy Strong, then Director of the V&A.??This new display echoes the original exhibition’s ‘Hall of Destruction’, presenting a cascade of the finest lost country houses. Alongside it highlights the story of many others rescued from demolition and decay and adapted to sympathetic new uses.?It also looks back to the 1974 exhibition, its impact including massive press coverage which led to the founding of SAVE Britain’s Heritage, and a deeper national appreciation of the value these historic structures represent. http://www.countryhouse2014.co.uk
For more information please contact Mike Fox at SAVE on 0207 253 3500/ mike.fox@savebritainsheritage.org
