West Dean College tours announced
For the first time, West Dean College will open it's doors for guided tours of its astonishing collection of Surrealist artworks and objects, including the famous Salvador Dalí Mae West Lips Sofa and Lobster Telephone.
Edward James, founder of West Dean College and patron of the Surrealist movement, bequeathed West Dean, his family estate, in 1964 to become a centre for education and training in conservation and craft practices to ensure their continuation for future generations.
Marking the centenary of the Surrealist Movement in October 2024, visitors will be able to join a monthly guided tour to see iconic works, including paintings, drawings, sketches, furniture, interior design pieces, and fascinating archive material, which form an extraordinary collection of Surrealist art, some of which stemmed from creative partnerships with Salvador Dalí and René Magritte, and others as a result of his patronage of artists including Leonora Carrington and Leonor Fini.
The new tours will take visitors around the former James family home, which is set in an enviable position in the South Downs, West Sussex.
Not to be missed unique objects include
- Salvador Dali's Mae West Lips Sofa and Lobster Telephone
- the Champagne Lamps and Cat’s Cradle Hand Chair
- the famous Tilly Losch Footprint Carpet conceived by Edward James in the spiral staircase (depicts the trail of wet footprints left by his wife, Tilly Losch, when she left the bathroom)
- the extraordinary Turtle Wallpaper
Tours run monthly from 29th October - book your tickets now!
The Tilly Losch Footprint Carpet and Turtle Wallpaper at West Dean House, West Dean College