WARES THAT APPEAL

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIV, Issue 9, 21 December 1933, Page 14

WARES THAT APPEAL

IMPORTANCE OF DESIGN. ART IN INDUSTRY. The Prince of Wales was present at a. dinner of the Royal Society of Arts in connection with the Royal Academy Exhibition of British Art in Industry to be held in 1935, and spoke of the place of art in industry. “The artistic touch in the production of industrial wares,” he said, “exercises a wider appeal than is often realised. "By artistic touch 1 do not mean that manufactured ware should necessarily bear the mark of the master's hand —he who has won fame and high diplomas. What I mean is the practical adaptation of the ideas and designs of our artists as to how modern manufacture and machinery can best influence and please the consumer as to taste, convenience, and attractiveness. “I am very proud of having been called ‘Britain’s Commercial Traveller.’ [ have travelled for Great Britain and I regret to say I have not always come back with good news. “I ha ve • seen the demand that foreign countries have created in design, practicability, and price, io suit

special markets. We have in this country too often relied on the old prewar slogan. ‘lt is British and it 1, is good enough for you.’ “I entirely advocate this exhibition, and have become the president of tho General Committee because I feel that it is a step in the right direction, and that it will give the manufacturer another opportunity of realising that the artist can help him. “Somehow this note seems familiar to me. Could it be that speeches that 1 have made in the past on return from foreign journeys have helped towards a better recognition of how the artist can help the manufacturer? “But if the artist is to be of any use to the present-day British manufacturer, competing more and more not with British but with foreign firms, the artist must bo alive and keep in touch with the everchanging tastes and fashions in the world, which, because of different conditions, change more rapidly in other countries than, they do here, because wo are an island and the oldest industrial country in the world. “I think that we are creating a wonderful opportunity for our young artists. They should go abroad and study the demand which this machine ago has evolved in foreign countries as regards tastes, fashion, design, convonionco. practicability, etc. Having I s'-dicil those <-li:-rncteristics they sh mid limn settle down and produce

ideas combining the best details that they have discovered abroad, that for want of a better term I will call a new British art in industry. BEAUTY FOR EVERYDAY USE. “In that way our artists will be doing a great service to our manufacturers; but if I have said that they will from now onwards have a great responsibility, so will those who will bo selected to bo the judges of the artists’ work sent up io the exhibition have a great responsibility. “May I appeal to all manufacturers who realise how art can help them, to support the exhibition wholeheartedly, and so ensure its success from their side.” (Cheers.) Sir William Llewellyn, president of the Royal Academy, said the proposed exhibition was an endeavour to do something really effective for the good of the country. The societies working together believed good design might give a stimulus to industry, and that it was essential to introduce ’more beauty into mass-produced articles of modest price and everyday use. They believed that machine production, properly handled, was not opposed to art, and that if artists and makers would only work together articles and wares of all kinds could be produced in this country equal in quality and appearance to any that were made abroad.