A friend who lives in Walthamstow in East London recently told me that the borough is being marketed by estate agents as Awesomestow. Ridiculous as this attempt at rebranding may seem, the area does seem to be teetering on the edge of some sort of regeneration - gastropubs now nestle alongside Polish delis and pound shops.
I'm sure the William Morris Gallery is being used by the same estate agents as a selling point for the area. And it is a wonderful asset that local people should be proud of. The fierce campaign to save it when the council threatened its closure is testament to how valued it is by the local community and Morris fans alike.
It seems odd to think that it was only seven years ago that its future was in jeopardy. The 360 degree turn in its fortunes was sealed last year when it deservedly won the Art Fund Museum of the Year prize - a fact no doubt trumpeted by some of the same characters that were preparing to wield the axe.
With this background in mind I was curious to see the latest exhibition at the gallery.
Jeremy Deller is known for tackling political subjects and doesn't shy away from controversy - one of his most well-known works is The Battle of Orgreave, a reenactment of the conflict between police and strikers that took place during the 1984 miners’ strike.
And the show does not disappoint. Deller is a long-time admirer of Morris, who features in English Magic, the UK tour of some of Deller’s work from the Venice Biennale last year.
The star of the show is Morris himself, who appears on the wall of the temporary exhibition gallery as a giant colossus hauling a luxury yacht above his head in order to dash it into the sea below.
The tale here is that it's Roman Abramovich's yacht, moored near the Biennale in Venice, and Morris is taking his revenge on the arrogance and wealth of the oligarch.
The exhibition continues through the gallery, making good use of the space and raising other issues around politics, campaigning and privilege - all topics Morris would be happy to engage with.
My only question about this show is the choice of venues on the tour. It's billed as a UK tour yet the only venues are in the south of England: the William Morris Gallery, Bristol Museum and Gallery, and the Turner Contemporary in Margate.
A shame, really. I'm sure audiences in the North of England, Scotland, and Wales would have lapped this up.
I'm sure the William Morris Gallery is being used by the same estate agents as a selling point for the area. And it is a wonderful asset that local people should be proud of. The fierce campaign to save it when the council threatened its closure is testament to how valued it is by the local community and Morris fans alike.
It seems odd to think that it was only seven years ago that its future was in jeopardy. The 360 degree turn in its fortunes was sealed last year when it deservedly won the Art Fund Museum of the Year prize - a fact no doubt trumpeted by some of the same characters that were preparing to wield the axe.
With this background in mind I was curious to see the latest exhibition at the gallery.
Jeremy Deller is known for tackling political subjects and doesn't shy away from controversy - one of his most well-known works is The Battle of Orgreave, a reenactment of the conflict between police and strikers that took place during the 1984 miners’ strike.
And the show does not disappoint. Deller is a long-time admirer of Morris, who features in English Magic, the UK tour of some of Deller’s work from the Venice Biennale last year.
The star of the show is Morris himself, who appears on the wall of the temporary exhibition gallery as a giant colossus hauling a luxury yacht above his head in order to dash it into the sea below.
The tale here is that it's Roman Abramovich's yacht, moored near the Biennale in Venice, and Morris is taking his revenge on the arrogance and wealth of the oligarch.
The exhibition continues through the gallery, making good use of the space and raising other issues around politics, campaigning and privilege - all topics Morris would be happy to engage with.
My only question about this show is the choice of venues on the tour. It's billed as a UK tour yet the only venues are in the south of England: the William Morris Gallery, Bristol Museum and Gallery, and the Turner Contemporary in Margate.
A shame, really. I'm sure audiences in the North of England, Scotland, and Wales would have lapped this up.