Olivia Horsfall Turner - Owen Jones: observing, designing, making

This talk focuses on the ideas and practice of architect and designer Owen Jones (1812-1874). Best known as the author of The Grammar of Ornament (1856), which has never been out of print, Jones had strong opinions about the role of art and architecture in public life. This extensively illustrated talk will explore some of his ideas, including the creation of original ornament and mass art education. Drawing on research for Olivia's recently published book Owen Jones and the V&A: Ornament for a Modern Age (Lund Humphries, 2023), the talk considers Jones’s ideas about the craft of design and his readiness to embrace industrial materials. 2024 will be the 150th anniversary of Jones’s death, offering an ideal moment to reflect on his theoretical and practical ideas as well as his legacy for contemporary makers.