Britain Can Make It

A look at the massively popular, but now largely forgotten, Britain Can Make It exhibition

Organised by the Council of Industrial Design, it was held in empty ground-floor galleries of the Victoria & Albert Museum, from September to December 1946. A ground-breaking, morale boosting exhibition, it showcased British design and manufacturing.

Despite its short run, it boasted an incredible 1.5 million visitors, and remains one of the most visited exhibitions ever held at the V&A. The exhibition was intended to work as a public morale boosting exercise and it did, attracting visitors from around the country. Mile-long queues constantly formed outside the V&A. 

By taking its structure loosely from the exhibition itself and from the accompanying Design '46 catalogue, Britain Can Make It takes the reader through an eclectic range of subject areas and consumer products. The book begins with a discussion of the political climate and economic motivations that led to this exhibition of `National Importance' taking place, and an overview of the contemporary social context. Additional essays cover specific aspects of the exhibition itself, including the surrealist design of the exhibition, the art and artists involved, the naming, and the `Design Quiz'. Most chapters are in the form of short illustrated essays.

Details

• Author: Diane Bilbey
• Paperback: 224 pages 
• Date published: March  2019
• Language: English
• Delivery: Allow 1-2 weeks
• ISBN: 978-1911300540
• Product Dimensions: 26.0 x 21.9 cm