Exploring Art School Communities: Fraser Taylor’s Archive and The Cloth, 1970s-80

This paper centres on a collection donated to the Archive and Collections (A&C) of the Glasgow School of Art (GSA) by alumnus Fraser Taylor. From 1977-1981, Taylor studied at the school; after the General First Year, he continued in printed textiles alongside fellow student David Band. They both went on to study printed textiles at the Royal College of Art (RCA), and with Brian Bolger and Helen Manning, they formed The Cloth electing to exhibit together for their Degree Show in 1983. The collectives’ bold and painterly styles, collaborative ethos, humorous attitude, and prolific productivity gained them a band of notable supporters. Although only lasting for four years, The Cloth became one of London’s most influential studios. The quartet worked for high-profile clients, exhibited regularly, sold freelance designs, and created clothing under The Cloth label. Their work spanned creative disciplines from printed textiles into fashion, interiors, painting, set design, music, graphics, illustration, and packaging. Examining historical examples can assist in developing strategies for contemporary textile design education and practice, which increasingly requires graduates with attributes to work collaboratively and across disciplines. This paper explores how communities formed within and around the art school influenced and informed Taylor’s evolving creative practice and, therefore, influenced The Cloth’s work. Analysis of archive items and oral histories provide insights into formal and informal learning experiences, which foster interdisciplinarity and collaborative working. Discussing the wider project will highlight Taylor’s role as archive donor, research collaborator and participant