May 09, 2015

MILAN DESIGN WEEK | Exercises in Seating by Max Lamb | 5VIE

London designer Max Lamb presented ‘Exercises in Seating’ during Milan Design Week in our favourite zone, 5VIE. The retrospective exhibition showcased 42 of Max’s seat designs all arranged in a circular configuration, like a group council meeting, around the edges of Spazio Sanremo. The pieces were ordered roughly chronologically starting from his first piece he created while studying at London’s Royal College of Art through to his most recent, that he designed specifically for the Milan show. Through the assistance of curator Federica Sala , Max’s wife and Max’s Australian partner in designer crime Nic Gardner they created one of the most powerful and refreshing moments of the week.

We asked Max about the meaning behind the tiny seedlings so effortlessly placed on each individual piece. He laughed and informed us that they didn’t want to put signs out saying ‘please do not sit’ so they found outside on the street these spiky pod like creatures that worked perfectly. Nothing like a last minute spare of the moment creative decision, so good. The name of the exhibition was taken from Lamb’s 2006 thesis that he completed at the RCA in London. Each piece is an experimentation with materials creating unique forms, with Federica perfectly quoting: “Each piece represents a different phase in the same obsessive search for the identity of the material, sometimes brutally sculpted, other times formally measured, released and recomposed.”

Max’s interest in exploring both traditional and unconventional ways of making has resulted in the unique range of diversity seen within his work. He has complete dedication to the process, in an industry dominated by mass-produced trends his willingness to the cause of a by hand approach is a breath of fresh designer air. His work and sense of being, is rich in energy in both its approach and physicality. The chair is such a humble object yet through the use of the title ‘ Exercises in Seating’ it has allowed Max to gather and bring together his techniques and ideas, reflecting a very conscious and poetic notion.

Max’s book was on sale within the exhibition and it was a must BUY, as it showcases personal images from Max depicting the adventures and journeys each individual piece has taken, including that of the Hawkesbury Sandstone Stool (2011) where he worked with stonemasons at the Gosford Quarries in NSW, Australia to Rusty Sheet Steel Chair (2008) corroded over time and produced by Gallery Fumi. Each individual piece works with specific natural resources, artisans and producers to create one of works of art that will forever be part of the designers vast portfolio. You must check out a great behind the scenes video of ‘Exercises in Seating’ on one of our favourite video blogs NOWNESS.