In this article, Cheyanne Greig-Andrews explores the many impressive collections currently on display with The Victoria and Albert Museum not on foot, but through a screen.
Sadly, the many incredible museums and galleries of London have had to temporarily close their doors to visitors. However, that hasn’t stopped these steadfast institutions from continuing to create digital experiences for their audience. The V&A with its vast resources has successfully put together several online collections for people to enjoy from the comfort of their homes.
A prized London landmark, The Victoria and Albert Museum is the world’s largest museum of art, design, and performance. Housing resources and works stretching a plethora of creative fields, as referenced on their website the list includes “architecture, furniture, fashion, textiles, photography, sculpture, painting, jewelry, glass, ceramics, book arts, Asian art and design, theatre and performance.”
One of their recently released online collections comes from the V&A’s Glastonbury Archive, a meaningful tribute to a UK festival which was planning to celebrate its 50th anniversary this summer. A nostalgic and exuberant collection of historic Glastonbury posters, cheering crowds, and smiling faces. A much-needed reprieve and reminder that despite current affairs, events like Glastonbury still exist. A festival which has brought joy to thousands, if not millions, of people over the years. You can read about the origins of the festival, scroll through the gallery archives, or learn the technical side of stage design.
The V&A also has also recently released an enticing Art Deco online collection, a fascinating look into the world of “the roaring 1920s.” It was a time of major shifts and turmoil bringing us into the modern era. The online collection boasts a stunning display of art deco sculpture, paintings, and homewares. Comprising a significant look into works by Clarice Cliff and René Jules Lalique, this is an online exhibit worth checking out for all the art and design aficionados.
If you aren’t into music festivals or period-specific art, there are also digital collections for illustrators and performers alike. A fantastical collection of puppetry and performance pieces from the V&A archives with pieces from the early 1900s to today offers an interesting look into the world of performance art. An illustration collection is comprised of wonderful sketches any book fanatic would enjoy.
Whatever your creative hankering may be, the Victoria and Albert Museum is working to fill the void, even if it must be done through a screen for now. Their online collections can be found at vam.ac.uk. Adapting a museum collection to an online platform is no small task. Remarkably, their curators have made the online experience almost as enlightening and exciting as a trip to the V&A in person.
Photograph via Pixabay
