The V&A has several large paid-for temporary exhibitions, but dotted around the building are a number of smaller free exhibitions worth seeking out.
They range from a single display case to several rooms – and all are free to visit.
Photography Now
Until 12th September (rooms 96-97)
A collection of recent acquisitions by the V&A, including, unusually for a photography collection, sculptures. A case of small tear bottles has been made from the remains of photos burnt by their owners, and the ashes then used to glaze tiny clay bottles.
Tatreez: Palestinian Embroidery
Until 31st May (room 42)
One small case in the Islamic gallery, showing off examples of historic and contemporary hand embroidery used on Palestinian dress.
The items on show represent the regions of Ramallah, Bethlehem and the Southern Coast and sit alongside contemporary embroidered work by fashion designer Zeid Hijazi and artist Aya Haidar.
Do read the note by one dress which shows how dresses used to be open-topped, but as society became more conservative, the tops were stitched closed – a literal repression.
Dimensions: Contemporary Chinese Studio Crafts
Until 17th September (room 146)
Good luck finding this exhibition, as it’s in the furthest corner of the museum.
And while small, it’s an interesting collection of contemporary chinaware, ranging from the very earliest attempts at modern art to the most recent. A section talks about the idea of modern copies of older works, while the main display is more original.
John Constable and David Lucas: A Unison of Feeling
Until 14th June (rooms 88a and 90)
This exhibition tells the story of how a leading artist of the time, John Constable, commissioned a printmaker to transform his coloured paintings into black-and-white etchings that could then be sold to the wider public.
At a time when few people could afford art, it was a way for the masses to fill their homes with affordable copies, and for artists to secure an income independent of patrons.
Some of the etchings are next to the paintings they were taken from, and they can show the skill of the printmaker, turning Constable’s moody landscapes into something people could still appreciate in monochrome. Not always, as some seem just too dark to see clearly, but others are remarkable collaborations between two artists in different genres.
Do read the captions, as sometimes Constable was clearly not impressed with the interpretation, but clearly pleased often enough to keep going back to the same printer.
