Ghislaine Wood on the Art Deco 1910–1939 Exhibition, 2003

Abstract The exhibition Art Deco 1910–1939 was first presented at the Victoria and Albert Museum in 2003. Ghislaine Wood was the chief curator, and Tim and Charlotte Benton were guest curators. This has been the most successful exhibition put on by the V&A to date. In a period that has seen the decline of the ‘blockbuster’ period-style exhibitions, it seemed interesting to ask the principal curator how the show was staged and what values and issues were involved. Ghislaine Wood tells of her introduction to the world of exhibitions and the importance of the Research Department at the V&A. She reflects on the importance of giving a sense of authenticity to displays and the way that exhibition design can transform displays, and finally she gives some telling examples of difficulties overcome by the curatorial team in obtaining and installing objects. She reflects on the causes of the exhibition’s success.