The ‘Growth + Form’ group exhibition celebrates 15 years of Gallery FUMI

Since its creation in 2008, Gallery FUMI has established itself as one of the world’s most respected galleries in the fields of collectable design and functional art. Driven by the unique vision of its founders Valerio Capo and Sam Pratt, the UK-based gallery has relentlessly promoted disruptive and unconventional approaches to object-making, pushing its participating artists and designers to break boundaries and experiment with materials without limits.

Marking 15 years of disruptive design, Gallery FUMI’s major autumn exhibition, Growth + Form, is a testament to its spirit of togetherness and loyalty, and a celebration of an impressive collection of success stories. From September 7 - 30, 2023, FUMI will stage a major group show bringing together brand-new pieces of functional and sculptural art by its roster of artists and designers. Curated by renowned London-based independent curator, writer, and design historian Libby Sellers, the exhibition will explore the theme of Growth + Form, with pieces looking at the dynamics between the inner and outer form, revealing the growth patterns of an object or material, and transformation through adaptation and regeneration. Located at the Mayfair Design District, Growth + Form also coincides with the London Design Festival 2023, on view from September 16 - 23, 2023. 

The concept of the group exhibition was inspired by the works of biologist D'Arcy Wentworth Thompson (1860-1948), specifically, his 1917 publication On Growth and Form, a poetic and mathematical study of living forms sprouting, ballooning, and metamorphosing into mathematically harmonious shapes. Tapping into the creative affinity between science and art, the product and furniture designs created for the show display fluid, organic forms, natural materials as well as geometric structures.

Among the highlights are 'Light Entanglements,' a sculptural chandelier by Danish artist Stine Bidstrup, which is made of clusters of hand-blown glass; 'Marmaros Metamorphosis II,' a sculpture by Rowan Mersh exemplifying his signature creative process of hand-assembling thousands of normally overlooked individual components; 'Copper Roots I,' a floor light by British duo JamesPlumb, an evolution from their acclaimed Steel Roots series.

Dutch designer Bernadette Deddens and Japanese designer Tetsuo Mukai from Study O Portable also unveil three seating installations inspired by the isometric grid system found in Sol LeWitt’s 'Incomplete Open Cube.' Voukenas Petrides, a creative partnership formed by Greek designer Andreas Voukenas and American architect Steven Petrides, showcases an organically-shaped chair design in bronze. British designer Max Lamb has created two new pieces of furniture for the show, each made from a single log of timber, and polished with linseed oil.

British artist Leora Honeyman presents a bench in ceramic using unusual colouring techniques inspired by her celebrated 'Comfy Chair,' while American woodworker Casey McCafferty shows a screen made of scrap wood from his workshop, with shapes inspired by human anatomy. Finally, Berlin-based designer Lukas Wegwerth unveils a wooden cabinet featuring sculpted, hand-coloured shingles, together with a vase from his Crystallisation series, exemplifying the title of the show.

Nurturing a global creative collective of nearly 30 artists and designers today, all conceiving unique collections for the gallery, Capo and Pratt have instilled a convivial atmosphere, where human and creative interactions are deeply valued, establishing a thriving family nucleus of bold, international talents with refreshingly diverse cultural backgrounds. 

Gallery FUMI's enduring success can be attributed to its forward-thinking, pioneering mindset incorporating sustainable design. Blending the beautiful with the provocative, the refined with the quirky, the product designs, artworks, and allied projects produced by the gallery’s brilliant cohort of makers not only derive from various processes including carving, glassblowing, cabinetry, lacquering, and hand-assemblage, but also deconstruction, burning, and the use of digital instruments. It is the singular combination of traditional craftsmanship, cutting-edge technology, sustainable practices, and unconventional materials that defines the art gallery’s unique signature.

London Design Festival is back! In its 21st edition, the faceted fair adorns London with installations, exhibitions, and talks from major design districts including Shoreditch Design Triangle, Greenwich Peninsula, Brompton, Design London, Clerkenwell Design Trail, Mayfair, Bankside, King's Cross, and more. Click here to explore STIR’s highlights from the London Design Festival 2023.