The 'Garden' series for Wedgwood 

Editor: Here we have what is known as "The 'Garden' series for Wedgwood" by Eric Ravilious. The ensemble is made of earthenware. I'm immediately struck by the almost industrial quality to what could otherwise be a pastoral scene. What's your take on this piece? Curator: The interesting element here lies in how Ravilious, working within the Arts and Crafts tradition, is confronting industrial production itself. Wedgwood was a factory. These objects were intended for consumption. The decorative elements are screen printed, which moves it far from hand-painted. How does the application of design impact its "art" status in your opinion? Editor: Well, I see the repetitive, almost mechanical nature of the design contrasting with the handcrafted quality typically associated with ceramics. Does this piece challenge the traditional hierarchy between fine art and craft by acknowledging the means of its production? Curator: Exactly. Think about the role of the designer, the factory worker, and the consumer in this whole process. Ravilious’ design brings the garden, a site of labor and material production, directly into the home, and does so via industrial means. It blurs the lines of artistic creation, labor, and the commodification of design. Editor: So it’s not just about the beauty of the garden scene, but also about the system that brought this teapot to our table. It certainly makes you think about all the hands involved in making this seemingly simple object. Curator: Indeed. And how that act of consumption ties us into a much larger web of materials, labour, and value. It invites us to appreciate not just the finished product, but the entire manufacturing process that makes it possible.