NIVAL/KWD/PC/03/02 - selected by Katie Blackwood
Throughout their existence, KDW kept an archive of press-clippings relating to themselves and the design work they produced. I am currently working on cataloguing these and drawing up a list of topics covered in the newspaper articles. There are several discussions around design in Ireland and how, outside of traditional textiles such as knitting and lace-making, it had been almost non-existent.
On several occasions there are reports of the Chairman, W.H. Walsh, emphasising the importance of an art & design education (and the lack of it available in Irish schools). I particularly liked this letter he wrote to the Irish Times (published on Friday 9th January 1970), about the quality of the exhibits in the Young Scientists Exhibition. It would be easy to dismiss his comments of “lamentable graphics, slovenly penmanship and general sloppiness” as grumpiness, but as he goes on to point out himself, a basic knowledge of design is essential to good quality products. Good design in the things and places we surround ourselves with, ones that work properly and that are beautiful, can only improve quality of life for everybody.
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