Beautiful AND Useful

Why human beings deserve both aesthetic AND functionality. Thoughts after visiting the William Morris Gallery.

Recently, I visited the William Morris Gallery in Walthamstow, London.

First time I’d been to Walthamstow.

I admit, in my head it was synonymous with one thing only - East 17 - the 90’s boy band. But long before Brian Harvey and co were giving it large in their oversized parkas, it had another famous inhabitant. One who influenced far more than dodgy Christmas compilations and Daniella Westbrook’s cocaine use.

That’s right, William Morris.

The gallery is set in a Georgian building, Morris’s former home in Lloyd Park. Lloyd Park stands (aghast?) in a ‘vibrant’ neighbourhood of cut price nail bars, over sized melon stockists and ‘proper decent’ (their words) barbers.

William Morris was a creative genius who stretched his tentacles far and wide. In poetry, social reform and of course, interior design. The Arts and Crafts movement was prolific and its legacy long lasting. Morris’s designs to me, represent quality craftsmanship and appreciation of the natural world - the bedrock upon which so many other styles were subsequently built. This much I knew already, but from the moment I read the first quote on the gallery wall, I felt an instant affinity with the man himself.

“Morris often felt he’d been born in the wrong century”

I caught myself nodding, my eyes widening.

Oh my goodness! Me too!

Apparently, he was hacked off with the capitalist industrialism of the Victorian age and hankered after medieval times, what he perceived as a better and simpler way of life.

William, honestly love………you should see it now!

I wanted to say.

You thought factories were bad…….. Mate, we’re doing globalism…...

You thought aniline dyes were vulgar?………..Now we’re dicking about with AI!

To romanticise over bygone eras, is not uncommon. Whilst Morris and I may belong in spirit to a different century, many others exist in time warps of their youth, bookmarking the past fastidiously like their favourite chapter of a novel, that of their own prime when they felt freer and more optimistic about life.

And maybe one day in centuries to come, there will be someone looking through rose coloured spectacles at the times we currently live in.

Hm……

Then again……

The more I read about Morris in the exhibition, the more I felt we’d have gotten along. That he’d make a good guest if I held one of those ‘fantasy dinner parties’. He just seemed decent, recognised his own privilege and set to making the world a better place in all he pursued.

This next quote is from Morris himself and one you may already be familiar with.

And actually, things can be both, can’t they? Morris illustrated this time and time again. From his stained glass windows and decorative tiles to his sumptuous upholstery. Stuff that did the job it was supposed to whilst looking attractive and giving pleasure.

Let’s explore this basic concept of usefulness so lacking in today’s high tech world. What does it mean to be ‘useful’? Does it mean having multiple uses? Complex uses? Or does it mean doing the job it was designed to do? I firmly believe it means the latter.

I recently reposted a meme I found on Facebook, and on doing so, felt like I’d tapped into the pulse of a generation.

You can see from the stats how much interaction it got. Substackers couldn’t wait to share how much they valued simplicity. Durability. Reliability. Straightforwardness. Ease.

Something that does what it says on the tin and does it well.

People commented they didn’t need a million programs and settings, didn’t want the bleeps and ‘smart controls’. They distracted and annoyed. So much so they’d actually pay extra for machines that didn’t do that!

Who knew?

The problem?

Stuff that works well with a long life span - is truly useful - is at odds with the goals of capitalism. Industry’s aim is to create paying customers. Time and time again. Once manufacturers realised they were shooting themselves in the foot by supplying decent products, they set to rectifying that by selling machines with shorter life spans, compensating by dazzling us with a host of fancy features.

Why have customers buy ‘the thing’ once when they could purchase several during a life time?

Why have them buy ‘the thing’ when you could convince them they needed the latest, greatest, all singing all dancing thing?

In short, consumer goods adapted to serve the economy instead of serving the humans they were invented to assist.

Now, let’s come on to the ‘beautiful’ aspect of Morris’s statement.

Humans are drawn to beauty. We feed from it. Particularly that which strikes parallels with flora and fauna. Items that mimic the curves, contours and colours of our environment. They remind us we are of the Earth. Living in harmony with it - instead of pretending to lord over or outwit it.

We appreciate items that are made with care and passion, infused by nature. We can just tell. Just as food created with love tastes different, architecture and goods made with heart somehow feel superior too. They nurture, bring out the best in people. They function better because they operate at a deeper level. They touch our soul.

Contrast an old style Picture House like this…..

…….with a contemporary multiplex cinema. It’s a completely different experience. The fonts, pillars and thoughtful use of colour speak to your depth. They add to your experience. It feels special. It makes you the consumer, feel special.

It’s not just an issue in modern architecture. Every Christmas, there are threads on social media devoted to the deterioration of chocolate wrappers. People pining for the flamboyant foil and cellophane coverings of their childhoods. Year upon year beauty is eroded in favour of something increasingly ‘sustainable’ to the point of bland.

Have you noticed how ‘sustainable’ has become new speak for ‘making life shit’?

But life shouldn’t be shit, should it?

It should be glorious. Celebratory.

We have the know-how to produce practical, hard wearing items. USEFUL things.

We have the imaginations to make life spine tinglingly BEAUTIFUL.

We have a hunger for both.

Morris knew this. As did so many others.

And since it is clearly possible to have both, the question is….…..why don’t we?

We deserve nothing less.