London Design Festival at Art Without Heroes: Mingei

Art Without Heroes: Mingei is the largest ever exhibition in the UK dedicated to Mingei, the influential folk-craft movement that developed in Japan in the 1920s and 1930s. With works including ceramics, woodwork, paper, toys, textiles, photography and film, the exhibition incorporates unseen pieces from significant private collections in the UK and Japan, along with museum loans and historic footage from the Mingei Film Archive. For London Design Festival 2024, Art Without Heroes: Mingei will be accompanied by a special series of events celebrating the traditional craft skills showcased in the exhibition and the borough’s continuing tradition of design, craft and making. In Conversation with Pete Brown 18 September, 18.00 – 21.00 A William Morris Gallery event at Exale Brewery, Unit 2C Uplands Business Park, London E17 5QJ £10, book online at www.wmgallery.org.uk Join Hadrian Garrard, Director of William Morris Gallery for a special conversation with Pete Brown, award-winning food and drink writer and author of Craft: An Argument, winner of Best Beer Book at the North American Guild of Beer Writers Award. At this special event - taking place in a craft brewery just down the road from the childhood home of William Morris, founder of the Arts and Crafts movement - they will talk about what might make something ‘craft’ (or not). Also up for grabs are the changing nature of work, to what extent how a thing is made affects the thing itself, the advance of the robots and when is a nice drink just a nice drink.  The event will take place in Exale Brewery and Taproom – an independent craft brewery in William Morris's home borough. Open Night with Pearl Home Records at William Morris Gallery 19 September, 18.00 – 21.00 Pearl Home Records is a record label for DIY experimental music, sound art and spoken word. Learn about record cutting with a vinyl laith demo, take part in open mic and photo collage, hear poetry sets by Graham Clifford, Ruth Wiggins and Lila Matasuma and see a group recital of Morris poetry. With a special sound art playlist throughout the evening. Art Without Heroes: Mingei - Family Day 21 September, 13.00 – 16.00 Participate in family-friendly workshops inspired by Mingei, exploring the beauty of handcrafted everyday objects. Learn the traditional art of textile weaving and create your own fabric using simple cardboard looms. These free, drop-in sessions are open to all. Ercol, Walthamstow and a family business 21 September, 18.00 – 21.00 £7.50/£5 concessions, book online at www.wmgallery.org.uk We are delighted to welcome Henry Tadros, Chairman of Ercol and great grandson of its founder Lucian Ercolani. Henry will speak about the brand’s relationship to Walthamstow and how a furniture company has continued to thrive for over 100 years. Sunday Mending Club 22 September, 14.00 – 16.00 Join the Monday Mending Club for a special weekend edition of their weekly mending social on the final day of Art Without Heroes: Mingei. The Walthamstow-based club aims to spread the joy of mending clothing and textiles and is run by artist, designer, maker and mender Mika Sembongi.