Cocktail Reception, 6pm – 8pm, Thursday 30 January
Free admission for Patrons | RSVP essential
Carpenters Workshop Gallery presents Living Now, an exhibition of works from the past 20 years representing some of the most recent perspectives and approaches in contemporary design.
By taking stock of the present moment in design and craftsmanship, the exhibition invites visitors to pause and reflect on our current reality, from materials and techniques to notions of space, form, aesthetic and functionality. Opening at the start of a new year, it also provokes the question of what is coming next in design.
In Carapace Cupboard, Maarten Baas forms a highly decorative exterior by dot-welding hundreds of patinated bronze plates together to create an intricate tortoiseshell pattern. Known for his rebellious and theatrical style, the designer uses this work to play with the duality of an impenetrable armour hiding interior secrets.
Vincenzo De Cotiis works at the cusp between art and architecture, creating a universe where form meets function, fuelled by parallelisms of space and time. The voluminous, organic shape of DC1417A Sofa Earth Suede Mirrored reflects the designer’s ability to create sculptural spaces that evoke physical and intellectual experiences.
The relationship between materials is a main feature of the work of Martin Laforêt, known for integrating the concrete moulds of his designs into the final work. Combining timber and concrete, Mould Chair moves simultaneously between cast and mould, lending a poetry to the contrasting materials and preserving the relationship between them.
Cinderella Table by the Verhoeven Twins fuses marble and wood in forms reminiscent of historic stone column carving techniques. Drawing inspiration from fairy-tale enchantment, the piece seems to defy gravity, with intricate craftsmanship that transforms the cold, unyielding nature of marble and wood into a fluid, dynamic composition.
The exhibition also features works by Maarten Baas, Andrea Branzi, Campana Brothers, Nacho Carbonell, Wendell Castle, Pietro Chiesa, Aki+Arnaud Cooren, Vincenzo De Cotiis, Vincent Dubourg, Stuart Haygarth, Roger Herman, Studio Job, Martin Laforêt, Atelier Van Lieshout, Gareth Mason, Rick Owens, Simone Prouvé, Giacomo Ravagli and Verhoeven Twins.
Find out more: CWG website
