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Object Timeline

2004

  • Work on this object began.

2006

2007

  • We acquired this object.

2013

2024

  • You found it!

Sidewall, Grand Thistle

This is a sidewall. It was designed by Timorous Beasties. It is dated 2004 and we acquired it in 2007. Its medium is screen-print on paper. It is a part of the Wallcoverings department.

Grand Thistle is an excellent example of contemporary British design as well as contemporary wallpaper design in general.
The Glasgow design firm, Timorous Beasties, has been of great interest to both the Textiles and Wallcoverings departments since its founding in 1990. The museum acquired three Timorous Beasties textiles that same year. The founders of the group, Paul Simmons and Alistair MacAuley, met as students of textile design at Glasgow School of Art. As Timorous Beasties, they have consistently produced exceptionally innovative work in the field of surface design. Depicting uncompromisingly contemporary images on traditional textiles and wallpapers, their provocative style was once described as “William Morris on acid.” In 2005, Timorous Beasties was the recipient of the Scottish Style Award for Outstanding Contribution and, in 2006, received the Elle Decoration Award for both Best Textiles and Best Carpet.
Grand Thistle will add another cross-departmental bridge between Textiles and Wallcoverings. Contemporary British papers have been identified as an area of collection focus.

This object was donated by Timorous Beasties. It is credited Gift of Timorous Beasties.

Its dimensions are

Overall: 149 x 52 cm (58 11/16 x 20 1/2 in.)

Cite this object as

Sidewall, Grand Thistle; Designed by Timorous Beasties (United Kingdom); Scotland; screen-print on paper; Overall: 149 x 52 cm (58 11/16 x 20 1/2 in.); Gift of Timorous Beasties; 2007-56-1

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If you would like to cite this object in a Wikipedia article please use the following template:

<ref name=CH>{{cite web |url=https://collection.cooperhewitt.org/objects/18701981/ |title=Sidewall, Grand Thistle |author=Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum |accessdate=25 April 2024 |publisher=Smithsonian Institution}}</ref>