Jacqueline Groag at the FTM

Event information

Jacqueline Groag was probably the most influential textile designer in
Britain in the post WWII era and the FTM is pleased to be showcasing
a small selection of her work from October until December.

Originally Czech, she studied textile and pattern design in Austria
and during the late twenties and early thirties designed textiles for
the Wiener Werkstatte in Vienna. However, she and her husband were
forced to flee to London in 1939 by the political situation in Europe.

This didn't stop her work and throughout the forties she was the
leading designer of textiles in Britain and much of the contemporary
style
of the textiles and wallpapers shown
at the 1951 Festival of Britain were heavily indebted to her
influential designs of the previous decade.

Her work and influence included large corporations and exclusive
couturiers but was familiar to the general public through stores and
companies such as John Lewis, Liberty of London, David Whitehead,
Edinburgh Weavers, Sandersons, Warerite and Formica.

Jacqueline Groag died in London in 1986 at the age of 83 and this
small but insightful display provides a glimpse into the work of
someone who was incredibly influential in shaping post-war design and
is accompanied by a book Jacqueline Groag, Textile & Pattern Design;
Wiener Werkstatte to American Modern. There will be a booking signing
by the authors on Thursday 29th October.

Authors of the book, Geoffrey Rayner, Richard Chamberlain, and
Annamarie Stapleton will be discussing the life
and work of this talented and influential designer, the historical
context in which she worked and the milieu of modern design of the era