Saturday 18 September 2021 was a significant date in the revival of the Christopher Dresser Society.
Dresser enthusiasts from across the world came together to celebrate and learn about Dr Dresser and his designs. Dresser Fest 21 saw technology embraced to unite presenters from both sides of the Atlantic deliver fascinating and informative presentations and tours to eager Zoom viewers who had for too long been denied the opportunity to visit galleries and attend talks.
Our friends at the Kirkland Museum of Fine and Decorative Art in the USA –Maya Wright and Becca Goodrum – brilliantly hosted the event.
In a day-long celebration of Dresser, participants were treated to:
A tour of the Kirkland Museum, USA
A tour of the Christopher Dresser Collection at the Dorman Museum, England
Presentations by Harry Lyons, Linda Polley, Gill Moore and others.
A live Question & Answer Session.
For many the highlight was when Kirkland Museum’s own Becca Goodrum, along with the Dorman Museum’s Louise Harrison, and Harry Lyons, told the amazing story of how an image from the Dorman Museum started a conversation about the attribution of Kirkland Museum’s five-legged chair and the reasons why Mr. Lyons believes the chair can be attributed to Christopher Dresser.
For others, the highlight was the opportunity to see two collections of Dresser items, one in the USA, the other in the UK, which they might never have the opportunity to see at any time, never mind at a time when we are subject to international travel restrictions. The power of the internet used to show off nineteenth century design!
Organized by the Christopher Dresser Society and the Dorman Museum, with invaluable support from the Kirkland Museum, Dresser Fest 21 proved a great success and a sign of the ways in which the Society hopes to develop in the future, enhancing our knowledge of Dr Dresser and his work into the future.