The Radford Gallery’s first exhibition brings together a series of works on the fringes of design, art and craft that the curator found on Instagram.
Entitled Uncommon Found, the exhibition physically showcases the work of contemporary creators, artists and designers who typically post their work on Instagram.
“The key element of this exhibition for me has always been that people see real life work that they would otherwise only see on their Instagram feed,” said Max Radford, founder of the Radford Gallery.
“When people came to visit the show, they would ask if they could sit down or touch the parts and often seemed surprised when the answer was yes,” he told Dezeen.
Founded in 2020, the Radford Gallery called for applications for its first exhibition, Uncommon Found, after seeing a lack of such exhibitions in London.
“The gallery started out as myself and Instagram, now in real life friends were prowling people’s pages looking at all this amazing tactile work being done at the limits of art and design. , but you never got to see it in the flesh, only the perfectly angled Instagram image, ”Radford said.
“We knew the job was done here, but there didn’t seem to be a gallery structure to show it, so we decided to do it,” Radford said.
“I already knew quite a few artists and designers via Instagram, but I also knew that the algorithm wouldn’t let me see much … in order to try to reach as many people as possible, we launched an open call. “
The exhibition took place at Hackney Downs Studio in east London and although the work does not share a common theme, the 19 designers presented functional, interactive and sculptural pieces to physically see, use and touch.
A four tier chair by a decorator and furniture designer Jaclyn Pappalardo was covered in ecru tones while Edouard Barniol created a four-legged side table wearing striped socks, made from bare branches of bark.
“I am particularly fascinated by the process behind Rashmi Bidasaira‘Dross’ Collection where she was able to use the waste from steel production to create a new material to make her works with the pieces themselves having a beautiful shape, ”Radford said.
“Also Nicolas sandersonfrom the “History of a Future” series of cardboard pulp stools, where the pulp was smeared around a stool found to turn them into ethereal objects. “
Shaped, and engraved with ornate images of pieces of found porcelain, a trio of plywood chairs by Katy brett combine the decorative style of the arts and crafts movement with fragmented and primitive forms.
Designer based in London, Elliot Barnes presented a collection of steel objects including an orange leather lounge chair, a rotating half light and a partly oak smoking perch.
Radford told Dezeen that the title of the exhibit came from an amalgamation of the wide range of works on display at the exhibit as well as the 2013 British Land exhibit, Uncommon Ground.
“The title of the exhibition is a bastard from the 2013 British Land Art Uncommon Ground exhibition by the Arts Council,” he said.
“The exhibition had a profound effect on my own practice at the time and has always been at the back of my mind. ‘Uncommon Found’ seemed like a perfect title to sum up the breadth and breadth of the works we were putting together.”
Uncommon Found is the first in a series of cultural collaborations between Max Radford and Hackney Downs Studios.
The partnership stems from Radford and Hackney Down Studios’ common interest in providing a platform for showcasing local and local design talent. The works exhibited in the show are always visible by appointment via the Gallery.
Founded in 2020 by Max Radford, The Radford Gallery aims to forge an honest, democratic and united space for emerging creators and artists.
Recently, Olivier Garcé transformed his New York house into an exhibition space for contemporary art and design.
While the Friedman Benda gallery in New York presented Split Personality, an exhibition that explores the value of design objects.
The photograph is by Genevieve Loutkine.
