Art, Craft and the Village Life of Ditchling: A Collection Considered

Synopsis

The Collection at Ditchling Museum, which opened in 1985, was started by its founders, Joanna and Hilary Bourne and reflects their enthusiasm for collecting, their love of history and of Ditchling in particular. A significant part of the history of this village is its unique position in art history as the home in the early part of the 20th century of artist, sculptor Eric Gill, and other important artists and craftspeople. Ditchling Museum provides a rare opportunity to see, in the environment and landscape in which they were created, works by Gill, David Jones, Edward Johnston and others. The village was also the home and workplace of a wider community who have left their own history. The exhibition places side by side objects from the two strands of the Collection exploring the similarities between the two communities and their shared sense of place.