Objective Gallery believes that 'All design is contemporary, if it's alive'

Dedicated to collectible designs with a conceptual, narrative approach, Objective Gallery returns to Design Miami this year with a special showcase titled All design is contemporary, if it’s alive, which ran from December 3 – 8, 2024. The exhibition brought together works by ten global contemporary designers, each responding to a present moment in design: 'art furniture's new wave'.

"The title, words borrowed (and tweaked) from artist David Hockney, is a wink and nod toward modern-day contemplations, of man, machine, and the role either will play in future art, craft and creativity," mentions the design gallery's press release. "Traces of the person that made them [can] be found in each work Objective Gallery exhibits; they are 'alive' in process, method and spirit: hammered copper and hand-chiselled wood; spider leg lamps and real flowerhead light shades. Marked by their makers, they offer a delightful disruption to the viewer's eye. And as David Hockney put it, If it's not alive, what's the point of it?" the press release continues.

At the heart of the design exhibition was a collection of furniture morphing delightfully between sculpture and furniture design. Making his Design Miami debut, Luke Malaney presented his Ballroom Vanity, Trampoline Table and Greyhound Lamp, which utilise his now-known 'furniture-as-sculpture' style, apart from hammered copper and sculpted wood, some with licks of coloured paint. These pieces by the New York-based artist showcase how materials can bridge the gap between the past and present.

Similarly, Charlotte Kingsnorth, based in London, showcased her anthropomorphic lamp designs, the Spider Lamp and Soft Lamp, handstitched in her inimitable technique and imbued with an almost lifelike presence to become 'lamp-creatures'. Canadian contemporary sculptor and product designer Jeff Martin brought a tactile edge to the showcase with his volcanic stoneware creations, including the Hallucination Stool, Hallucination Side Table and Sarcophagus 11, which transformed durable materials into poetic, cultural artefacts.

Meanwhile, six of Liu Xi's God Is Great sculptural art wall pieces in gold-dipped ceramics were showcased at All design is contemporary, if it's alive, at the design event in Miami Beach. "Xi's yonic, Georgia O’Keefe-like sculptures underline [her] intention to present feminine sexuality and temptation as something beautiful and distinct that should be seen, celebrated and not hidden," according to the gallery based in Shanghai and New York. James Shaw, a London-based designer and maker exploring the material landscape in a hands-on manner, displayed his Modular Mechanics chair design made of wooden cubes, gold joins and a seat from a 1970s tapestry kit, as "a high-kitsch rumination on the commercialisation of handcrafts," the press release states.

Exhibiting with Objective Gallery for the first time, US-based Jack Simonds turns organic forms into product designs of 'wonder' with works such as the A protea lamp I, where its leaves are hand cast in brass and native plant heads become its lampshade—delineating his fascination with nature. Meanwhile, Tor Rothschild Neria's Ventus Console Table captures the evolving British cliffscapes near his home by blending countless wood layers into a tactile narrative for the show. 

Sam Klemick, an LA-based designer, transforms salvaged wood and deadstock fabrics into imaginative pieces such as the Big Wooden Bell Chair, infused with sustainability principles. Also presenting with the gallery for the first time is US-based Michael Oates, who showcased his Enlightenment Lamp, which combines glass and black walnut, its form an ode to male anatomy. These works reflect the exhibition's deeper exploration of interconnectedness—between humans, materials, design and the natural world.

"The works on display [embodied] the ethos of living design," notes Chris Shao, the founder of Objective Gallery, on the exhibited pieces of functional art. "From hammered copper to hand-chiselled wood, each piece carries the mark of its maker, inviting viewers to engage deeply with its spirit and story." This approach highlights Objective Gallery's dedication to pieces that resonate beyond their aesthetic appeal, becoming enduring symbols of contemporary design. "We want to celebrate this moment in design history, where creativity flourishes, but [the] distinction is harder to find. With these artists, there's no question—design is alive," he concludes.