The Century Guild

The Century Guild of Artists was a collective of designers, artists and craftspeople active between 1882 and 1894. Rooted in the Arts and Crafts movement the Century Guild had a unique visual language based on the sinuous ‘S-shaped’ curves found throughout nature. Fieldwork Facility designed the exhibition (2D and 3D) as well as the accompanying promotional campaign. Our aim was to celebrate the work of the Century Guild and their hallmark ‘whiplash curves’ with an exhibition that ebbs and flows — our exhibition design perversely avoids the use of any straight lines. The 3D design revolves around a central island where key exhibits are nestled within a sinuous S-shaped curtain; the drape of the sheer fabric echoes the curves found in the exhibits and pulls the Guilds work into a contemporary light. Display cases were designed to avoid straight lines too. They feature curved backs and tapered legs which echo the Century Guild’s own furniture. The 2D hang of the show is one giant undulating curve across all the gallery walls, guiding visitors throughout the show’s curatorial themes. Captions and intro texts took inspiration from the Century Guild’s own pioneering publication ‘The Hobby Horse’.