Gardiner Museum

RULE BRITANNIA! AT THE GARDINER MUSEUM

May 31, 2012

RULE BRITANNIA!
FOUR CENTURIES OF BRITISH STYLE, POWER & TASTE
AT THE GARDINER MUSEUM

AN EXHIBITION THAT REVEALS
THE STORY OF BRITAIN THROUGH CERAMICS

TORONTO – From May 31 through September 16, 2012, visitors to Toronto’s Gardiner Museum will be transported through four centuries of British history. Rule Britannia! Four Centuries of British Style, Power & Taste is the story of Britain, revealed through ceramics that defined and shaped a nation, and influenced global commerce and taste.

Curated by Dr. Peter Kaellgren Rule Britannia! Four Centuries of British Style, Power & Taste examines significant moments in the development of iconic British potteries, documenting their emergence in the late 17th century as well as their rise to dominate the world market in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Rule Britannia! Four Centuries of British Style, Power & Taste follows the social and political history of Britain by tracing the production of ceramics throughout four eras of design: Beginnings (1600‐1740), Rise of the Factories (1740‐1840), Developing Markets and Design Reform (1840 – 1920) and Towards Modernism: 1920s and Onward. This exhibition also examines how British ceramics influenced the lifestyle and tastes of many Canadians from the 1800s to present day.

“Rule Britannia! Four Centuries of British Style, Power & Taste celebrates the union of artistry and craft that resulted in the production of ceramics that document British social history and capture the ingenuity, aspirations and sensibilities of the British people,” said Executive Director Alexandra Montgomery.

Rule Britannia! Four Centuries of British Style, Power & Taste is sponsored by Richard Rooney & Laura Dinner.

Related Focus Exhibition
Connections: Canadian and British Studio Ceramics
Rule Britannia! will be complemented by a focused exhibition Connections: Canadian and British Studio Ceramics featuring work from the 1960s to present day that highlights the close ties between the British and Canadian studio pottery movement. Curated by Rachel Gotlieb Connections focuses on immigration, apprenticeship, education and the shift from Anglo‐Asian pedagogies (Bernard Leach, Michael Cardew and Michael Casson) to a more sculptural and ornamental direction (Alan Caiger‐Smith and Janice Tchalenko).

Exhibition‐Related Programs
Royal and Other British Commemoratives
Tuesday June 12, 2012 3 – 5 pm
Speaker: Dr. Peter Kaellgren, Interim Chief Curator
After the Restoration in 1661, British potteries began producing chargers or large ornamental
plates decorated with images of the King. This talk considers the expanding range of
commemorative pieces and how they reflect their period and culture.
$25 includes tea

A Brief History of Tea Wares
Tuesday June 19, 2012 3 – 5 pm
Speaker: Dr. Peter Kaellgren, Interim Chief Curator
Since its introduction from China in the 1600s, tea has played a special role in British society.
British potteries responded by producing teapots, tea cups and other utensils. Come learn
about British tea wares from the late 1600s through to the present.
$25 includes tea

Crafting New Traditions: A Synthesizing Craft and Industry
Tuesday June 26, 2012 6:30 – 8 pm
Speaker: Ken Eastman, Royal Crown Derby Porcelain Company
In 2006, Ken Eastman, one of the acknowledged masters of the non‐functional vessel in Britain,
began working with the Royal Crown Derby Porcelain Company to develop new forms in bone
china and discovering new ways to decorate these. Ken will discuss his independent studio work
as well as his collaboration with Royal Crown Derby.
$15 General / $10 Members

British Ceramics Since 1945
Wednesday September 12, 2012 6:30 – 8 pm
Speaker: Rachel Gotlieb, Senior Curator
An overview of recent developments in modern and contemporary British ceramics including
the New British Ceramics Movement, the decline of the Staffordshire factories and the rise of
post‐industrial craft as well as the impact of the Turner Prize on ceramics.
$15 General / $10 Members

About the Gardiner Museum
The Gardiner Museum connects people, art and ideas by offering an intimate look at one of the
world’s oldest and most universal art forms ‐ ceramics. The Museum’s collections span
continents and time, giving a glimpse into the development of ceramic processes, decoration
and form. Year‐round, the Museum mounts special exhibitions, events, lectures and clay classes
to complement its permanent collection.

The Museum also features a casual café that serves delicious fare prepared by Jamie Kennedy
Kitchens, and the Gardiner Shop, which specializes in artist‐designed, artist‐made merchandise.
More information about the museum and its exhibitions can be found online at
www.gardinermuseum.com.

High‐Resolution Image Download
Members of the media can register to access the Gardiner Museum’s online media room
(www.gardinermuseum.com/news‐and‐media) where they may download images and
additional media materials.

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MEDIA CONTACT:
Katherine Griggs
PUNCH
416.360.6522 ext. 237
kat@punchcanada.com