A Queer Aesthetic? Oliver Messel at Bath Assembly Rooms

What was Bath to Oliver Messel, artist, architect, theatre and interior designer? And how queer was his redesign of Bath Assembly Rooms, given Messel is attributed as one of the key figures behind the creation of a queer British aesthetic in the 20th century?

Best known for his set and costume designs in the theatre, Royal Ballet, Glyndebourne and even Hollywood, Messel brought his distinctive style to the new interiors for Bath Assembly Rooms after the building was severely damaged during the Blitz. But the artist already had a long-standing love of the city and its Georgian heritage, long predating this major project.

Messel has been described as a leading figure in “Queer British Art”, featuring in Tate Britain’s groundbreaking 2017 exhibition on this subject. In her upcoming talk, National Trust curator Dr Emily Roy, explores Messel’s time in Bath within the context of the life and work of this important figure in LGBTQIA+ history – considering where his schemes for the Assembly Rooms fit within queer design heritage.