Alice Rawsthorn
Encyclopedia
Alice Rawsthorn is an English
journalist and design commentator. As design critic of the International Herald Tribune
, the global edition of the New York Times, she writes the paper's weekly Design column,which is published every Monday and syndicated to other newspapers and magazines worldwide. A prominent public speaker and broadcaster on design and contemporary culture, she is a member of the Global Agenda Council for Design of the World Economic Forum
. Rawsthorn is also a trustee of the Whitechapel Gallery
in London and Arts Council England
.
in 1980, she won a place on the graduate trainee journalism scheme of the Thomson Organisation and then became media editor of Campaign
magazine. In 1985, she joined the staff of the Financial Times
, where she worked as a foreign correspondent in Paris
and pioneered the paper's coverage of the creative industries before becoming architecture and design critic.
, Rawsthorn became a member of the Design Council
and a trustee of the Design Museum
. In 2001, she was appointed director of the Design Museum
. During her five years as director, the number of visitors to the museum rose by 40%, participation in the education program doubled, and the Design Museum website became the world's most visited design site. The museum also launched the Designer of the Year award, and mounted the Great Design Quest in collaboration with the BBC
. She reportedly resigned in February 2006 over differences with the museum's founder Sir Terence Conran
concerning the future direction of the institution.
Rawsthorn has since been active in the arts on a pro-bono basis. She joined the board of Arts Council England
in 2007, having been its lead adviser on the visual arts for four years and chair of the Turning Point
review of the contemporary visual arts, which resulted in a record increase in public funding. Rawsthorn was appointed a member of the Arts Council's Visual Arts Board in 2008 and the Arts Policy Committee in 2009. She has served on many arts juries including the Turner Prize
for contemporary art, the Stirling Prize
for architecture, the British Council's selection panel for the Venice Architecture Biennale, the PEN History Book Prize, the Aga Khan Awards for Architecture, the BAFTA film and television Awards and the Conservation Awards run by the Heritage Lottery Fund
. As well as chairing the British Council's Design Advisory Group, she was a member of its Visual Arts Group and Arts Advisory Committee. Rawsthorn was also a member of the British government's advisory panel on the BBC Charter Review.
, Rawsthorn speaks on design all over the world. Since January 2008, she has chaired Talking Design, a quarterly series of conversations with designers, at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. Rawsthorn also speaks at important political events including the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum
at Davos in Switzerland, and is a member of the Forum's Global Agenda Council on Design. She has contributed essays to several books on design and contemporary culture, including monographs of the work of the designers Hella Jongerius and Marc Newson
to be published in 2011. She has also written a critically acclaimed biography of the fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
journalist and design commentator. As design critic of the International Herald Tribune
International Herald Tribune
The International Herald Tribune is a widely read English language international newspaper. It combines the resources of its own correspondents with those of The New York Times and is printed at 38 sites throughout the world, for sale in more than 160 countries and territories...
, the global edition of the New York Times, she writes the paper's weekly Design column,which is published every Monday and syndicated to other newspapers and magazines worldwide. A prominent public speaker and broadcaster on design and contemporary culture, she is a member of the Global Agenda Council for Design of the World Economic Forum
World Economic Forum
The World Economic Forum is a Swiss non-profit foundation, based in Cologny, Geneva, best known for its annual meeting in Davos, a mountain resort in Graubünden, in the eastern Alps region of Switzerland....
. Rawsthorn is also a trustee of the Whitechapel Gallery
Whitechapel Gallery
The Whitechapel Gallery is a public art gallery on the north side of Whitechapel High Street, in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. Designed by Charles Harrison Townsend, it was founded in 1901 as one of the first publicly-funded galleries for temporary exhibitions in London, and it has a long...
in London and Arts Council England
Arts Council England
Arts Council England was formed in 1994 when the Arts Council of Great Britain was divided into three separate bodies for England, Scotland and Wales. It is a non-departmental public body of the Department of Culture, Media and Sport...
.
Education and early career in journalism
After graduating in art and architectural history from the Cambridge UniversityUniversity of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
in 1980, she won a place on the graduate trainee journalism scheme of the Thomson Organisation and then became media editor of Campaign
Campaign Magazine
Campaign is the leading weekly UK trade magazine published by the Haymarket Group about the advertising and commercial media industry, known as "the Bible of British adland"....
magazine. In 1985, she joined the staff of the Financial Times
Financial Times
The Financial Times is an international business newspaper. It is a morning daily newspaper published in London and printed in 24 cities around the world. Its primary rival is the Wall Street Journal, published in New York City....
, where she worked as a foreign correspondent in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and pioneered the paper's coverage of the creative industries before becoming architecture and design critic.
Work in the arts
During her career at the Financial TimesFinancial Times
The Financial Times is an international business newspaper. It is a morning daily newspaper published in London and printed in 24 cities around the world. Its primary rival is the Wall Street Journal, published in New York City....
, Rawsthorn became a member of the Design Council
Design Council
The Design Council is a United Kingdom non-departmental public body incorporated by Royal Charter and registered as a charity.Registered charity number 272099.- In the beginning :The Design Council started in 1944 as the Council of Industrial Design...
and a trustee of the Design Museum
Design Museum
Design Museum is a museum by the River Thames near Tower Bridge in central London, England. The museum covers product, industrial, graphic, fashion and architectural design. It was founded in 1989 and claims to be the first museum of modern design...
. In 2001, she was appointed director of the Design Museum
Design Museum
Design Museum is a museum by the River Thames near Tower Bridge in central London, England. The museum covers product, industrial, graphic, fashion and architectural design. It was founded in 1989 and claims to be the first museum of modern design...
. During her five years as director, the number of visitors to the museum rose by 40%, participation in the education program doubled, and the Design Museum website became the world's most visited design site. The museum also launched the Designer of the Year award, and mounted the Great Design Quest in collaboration with the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
. She reportedly resigned in February 2006 over differences with the museum's founder Sir Terence Conran
Terence Conran
Sir Terence Orby Conran, FCSD, is an English designer, restaurateur, retailer and writer.-Early life and education:Terence Conran was born in Kingston upon Thames, the son of Christina Mabel and South African-born Gerard Rupert Conran, a businessman who owned a rubber importation company in East...
concerning the future direction of the institution.
Rawsthorn has since been active in the arts on a pro-bono basis. She joined the board of Arts Council England
Arts Council England
Arts Council England was formed in 1994 when the Arts Council of Great Britain was divided into three separate bodies for England, Scotland and Wales. It is a non-departmental public body of the Department of Culture, Media and Sport...
in 2007, having been its lead adviser on the visual arts for four years and chair of the Turning Point
Turning Point
Turning point may refer to:* A a point at which the derivative changes sign. See stationary point, in mathematics* A climax , in narrative structure* A discrimen, one of the two marked points on a cursus or classical-period race-track...
review of the contemporary visual arts, which resulted in a record increase in public funding. Rawsthorn was appointed a member of the Arts Council's Visual Arts Board in 2008 and the Arts Policy Committee in 2009. She has served on many arts juries including the Turner Prize
Turner Prize
The Turner Prize, named after the painter J. M. W. Turner, is an annual prize presented to a British visual artist under the age of 50. Awarding the prize is organised by the Tate gallery and staged at Tate Britain. Since its beginnings in 1984 it has become the United Kingdom's most publicised...
for contemporary art, the Stirling Prize
Stirling Prize
The Royal Institute of British Architects Stirling Prize is a British prize for excellence in architecture. It is named after the architect James Stirling, organised and awarded annually by the Royal Institute of British Architects...
for architecture, the British Council's selection panel for the Venice Architecture Biennale, the PEN History Book Prize, the Aga Khan Awards for Architecture, the BAFTA film and television Awards and the Conservation Awards run by the Heritage Lottery Fund
Heritage Lottery Fund
The Heritage Lottery Fund is a fund established in the United Kingdom under the National Lottery etc. Act 1993. The Fund opened for applications in 1994. It uses money raised through the National Lottery to transform and sustain the UK’s heritage...
. As well as chairing the British Council's Design Advisory Group, she was a member of its Visual Arts Group and Arts Advisory Committee. Rawsthorn was also a member of the British government's advisory panel on the BBC Charter Review.
Championing design
As well as writing her syndicated column for the International Herald TribuneInternational Herald Tribune
The International Herald Tribune is a widely read English language international newspaper. It combines the resources of its own correspondents with those of The New York Times and is printed at 38 sites throughout the world, for sale in more than 160 countries and territories...
, Rawsthorn speaks on design all over the world. Since January 2008, she has chaired Talking Design, a quarterly series of conversations with designers, at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. Rawsthorn also speaks at important political events including the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum
World Economic Forum
The World Economic Forum is a Swiss non-profit foundation, based in Cologny, Geneva, best known for its annual meeting in Davos, a mountain resort in Graubünden, in the eastern Alps region of Switzerland....
at Davos in Switzerland, and is a member of the Forum's Global Agenda Council on Design. She has contributed essays to several books on design and contemporary culture, including monographs of the work of the designers Hella Jongerius and Marc Newson
Marc Newson
Marc Newson was born in Sydney, Australia. Now based in London, he is a successful industrial designer who works in aircraft design, product design, furniture design, jewellery, and clothing. He incorporates a design style known as biomorphism to his various designs...
to be published in 2011. She has also written a critically acclaimed biography of the fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent.