QEST Scholar Exhibition at Fortnum & Mason

‘The Art of the Exceptional, a Jubilee Celebration of Makers’ 

14th March – 19th June

Third Floor, Fortnum & Mason

To mark the anniversary of The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, Fortnum & Mason have partnered with the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST) to host four exhibitions in the heart of their flagship store in Piccadilly. From March to June, the exhibitions will celebrate the best of British creativity, crafts and making, and conclude with the creation of a one-off Jubilee hamper of artisan products made over the four months.

The exhibition series ‘The Art of the Exceptional, a Jubilee Celebration of Makers’ will take place across Fortnum’s third floor, demonstrating their ongoing commitment and passion to crafts and making. Focusing on materiality, the exhibitions champion the extraordinary diversity within craftsmanship, with each having a different theme, from ‘Wicker : Clay : Thread’, ‘Wood : Glass : Paper’, to ‘Leather : Metal : Cloth’. In addition, ‘Typography & Illustration’ will be showcased throughout the entirety of the series, as the two key elements represent Fortnum’s brand visual identity and packaging.

Each exhibition will introduce three of the makers commissioned to produce objects for the hamper, alongside a selection of their work and other QEST scholars within their field. The events are a chance for guests to meet exceptional creatives, see their work and be inspired by the back stories that underpin this joyful celebration of all things British and handmade.

To strengthen the position of British crafts across this Jubilee year, Fortnum & Mason will have a dedicated selling space on the third floor for fellow Royal Warrant-holding businesses to showcase their products. Having also been recognised by the Royal Family for their exceptional quality of work, Fortnum’s has handpicked those companies that have similar products and skills to those being showcased at the exhibitions.

The series will end with the Jubilee Hamper reveal, which will hold products created across the four months, in parallel with the ‘Scent of Summer’ exhibition – an exuberant celebration of all things floral, that coincides with the June Bank Holiday Jubilee Weekend. Fostering the makers of the future, the one-off hamper will be sold with all profits going towards the QEST scholarship.

Jo Newton, Head of Buying at Fortnum and Mason, comments:

“For over 300 years we have been creating, making and collaborating with the UK’s finest producers to bring joy into the lives of our customers. We are very proud to be partnering with the Royal Warrant-holders and QEST, and all the makers involved to create a showcase of products that are inspired by the past, conceived in the present and created for the future.”

Brian Kennedy, Curator, comments:

“It’s wonderful to be working on a project with both Fortnum & Mason and QEST as they both support craftsmanship, innovation and share an understanding of the importance of the handmade and the value that it brings to our everyday lives.

“The range and diversity of makers that QEST supports is extraordinary and I wanted to reflect this in the exhibition, to include everything from lace to lollipops and blankets to bells. A true celebration of the way contemporary makers stretch the boundaries of what we think craft is.

“What better way to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee than with things that are made with the skills of the past, honed with the attitudes of the present and crafted to last well into the future.”

Exhibition Dates:

WICKER : CLAY : THREAD 14th March – 10th April

WOOD : GLASS : PAPER 11th April – 8th May

LEATHER : METAL : CLOTH 9th May – 29th May

THE JUBILEE HAMPER & SCENT OF SUMMER 30th May – 19th June

And for the full duration of the Exhibition:

TYPOGRAPHY & ILLUSTRATION 14th March – 19th June