Bauhaus, Breuer at The Stradling Collection

Bristol takes centre stage in a major new exhibition celebrating Modernism

and the city’s surprising role in shaping the movement’s legacy.

In the new year, Bristol becomes the focal point for a bold exploration of Modernism’s impact on British design. Bauhaus, Breuer, Bristol (17 January to 17 May 2026) celebrates the extraordinary collaboration between local furniture visionary Crofton Gane and Marcel Breuer, one of the leading figures of the Bauhaus. Together, they turned Bristol into a testing ground for radical ideas that would influence generations of architects and designers.

A Meeting of Minds: Breuer and Gane
In the mid 1930s, Crofton Gane, dynamic director of the Bristol based furniture company P.E. Gane Ltd, became an enthusiastic advocate for Modernist principles, inspired by his travels in Europe and his work with the Design and Industries Association (DIA).

In 1935, Gane met Marcel Breuer, Bauhaus furniture master and recent émigré from Nazi Germany, through DIA connections. Gane invited Breuer to Bristol with an ambitious commission: to remodel a Clifton house and furnish it with new, modernist designs suitable for local manufacture. This “live in
showroom” boldly reimagined the British domestic interior.

The following year, Breuer designed Gane’s trade pavilion for the Royal Agricultural Show in Bristol. Constructed with Cotswold stone and large glass panels, the pavilion was conceived as a modern home, showcasing Breuer’s furniture alongside work by J.P. Hully and Alvar Aalto. Reactions were mixed, one housewife famously remarked, ‘I don’t want my furniture to be cleverer than me’, but the impact was lasting.

A Legacy Preserved
Breuer later moved to the United States, where he achieved international fame as one of the twentieth century’s most influential architects. Yet in a 1956 interview, he cited just two works as his proudest achievements: the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris and the Ashton Court Pavilion in Bristol.
 
Following Gane’s death in 1973, designer Ken Stradling helped preserve this design legacy by acquiring key pieces from the Clifton house, ensuring that the story of Gane and Breuer remained rooted in Bristol. As a result, The Stradling Collection is proud to start the new year by celebrating how Bristol housed a crucial moment of Modernist history.

Exhibition Highlights
The exhibition will explore two intertwined narratives:
•    Marcel Breuer and Crofton Gane’s House – Breuer’s transformation of Gane’s Clifton home and the creation of prototype modernist furniture for British production.
•    The 1936 Agricultural Exhibition Pavilion – A groundbreaking architectural experiment that brought Bauhaus ideas to Bristol’s doorstep.
Core displays will include Breuer’s furniture from the collection, the Pavilion model by Max Gane, ceramics, and glass from the period. Additional loans are being negotiated with Penny Gane and Isokon, potentially including a Breuer Short Chair and other significant pieces.

Talks, Partnerships and Public Engagement
Over its five-month run, Bauhaus, Breuer, Bristol will feature a vibrant programme of talks, panel discussions, curator tours and workshops, designed to spark new conversations about design, history and Bristol’s cultural identity.
The exhibition also opens doors for high profile collaborations with the Isokon Gallery (London) and the Bauhaus Dessau Foundation (Germany), amplifying Bristol’s role on the international cultural stage.

Merchandise and Publications
A curated range of modernist inspired merchandise and publications, including key titles on Breuer and Isokon will be available, extending the exhibition’s reach and appeal.

Exhibition Details
 
Bauhaus, Breuer, Bristol
17 January to 17 May 2026
The Stradling Collection 48 Park Row Stradlingcollection.org