The exhibition will be on display from the 19th March until the 19th July.
It has been announced that Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery will celebrate the work of Marthe Armitage, by presenting a selection of her intricate and hand-drawn designs – including rarely seen works on paper and sketches.
Set to feature more than 40 prints objects and archive materials from the
lifelong career of Marthe Armitage, the display will begin with her career printing wallpaper solely for her family, to later designs being featured in Hammer Horror’s return to cinema with The Woman in Black and giving lectures on wallpaper designs at the V&A.
From the first ever lino block she created in 1964 to her most recent 2023 print Chess, the retrospective exhibition will showcase her expert craftmanship and attention to intricate detail, also delving into what has inspired her during a fascinating career.
On display at the former home of renowned architect Sir John Soane, it will feature early patterns Angelica and Chestnut which highlight Armitage’s interest in botanical
images and history, as well as several ‘firsts’ that Armitage made, with the final pencil drawing, original lino block and first wallpaper print of Angelica on display. Sketchbooks will show how her ideas originated.
In addition, the exhibition will also look to create the atmosphere of Armitage’s workspace. A corkboard-style wall space will be illustrated with various influences and objects from her career, including photographs from her local environment,
pamphlet designs for the Strand on the Green community, as well as colour swatches and other materials that have informed her processes over the years.
The bedroom at Pitzhanger will also be undergoing a “Marthe makeover”; an upholstered slipper chair in Chestnut, four-poster bed draped with curtains, cushions and a skirt in textbook Armitage fabric.
Rebecca Lyons, Director of Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery, said: “We are delighted to showcase the work of Marthe Armitage, whose lifelong dedication to pattern making has produced some of the most beautiful prints in modern design. Inspired by both the natural and architectural worlds, her work finds a particularly fitting setting at Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery.”
To find out more about the Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery visit: https://www.pitzhanger.org.uk/