Bourne & Allen’s Modernist Textiles

Marking ten years since its major redevelopment, this exhibition is all about the museum’s co-founder Hilary Bourne alongside Barbara Allen, her partner in life and creative practice. 

The pair ran an internationally successful textile studio providing cloth for the likes of Liberty and the Royal Festival Hall as well as MGM epic Ben Hur. They were two of the most significant textile designers of the modernist period, yet they remain largely unknown. This show speaks to the invisibility of women as leading modernist designers, as well as how women’s intimacy informs creative pursuits.   Theirs is a fascinating story that we recommend you find out more about.

Visitors are greeted by an immersive installation by textile artist Omeima Mudawi-Rowlings featuring textiles coloured with natural dyes using techniques pioneered by Bourne and Allen