'Strange Friends': A vitrine of eight distinct table-top items that complement each other

British designer and maker James Shaw's body of work comprises objects that refuse to take themselves seriously. A combination of whimsy curves and discordant components gelled together to form cohesive and usable pieces of furniture and objects, Shaw's conceptions brazenly defy the rules of contemporary design. While several creations by Shaw confound the viewer with their atypical forms, some objects conceived by the designer comprise the juxtaposition of ubiquitous components against aberrant patterns and constituents. Some of these include vibrant and amusing table designs topped up with a typical glass surface, or rectilinear chairs adorned with furry upholstery. In propping up humorous elements upon contemporary pieces, Shaw seems to be demonstrating the layer of whimsy that his work adds to any given atmosphere.

With a previous showcase at London Design Festival 2022, Shaw, in collaboration with Lou Stoppard, exhibited his humorous undertone while also tangibly depicting the dichotomous relationship of a romantic couple via his furniture designs. Meanwhile, his more recent collection comprises a series of eight objects that function as lamps, containers and sculptures. Titled Strange Friends, the eight pieces are conceived in sizes that are adept for sitting on table tops.

When asked why Shaw chose the moniker Strange Friends for his sustainable design collection, the art furniture designer shares, “For me, the name Strange Friends is about unlikely pairings, combinations that seem odd but somehow fit. The collection comprises eight different pieces, each of which is a combination of forms and materials and explores the way these sit together and interact, questioning the relationships between things.” Once again, Shaw tangibly exemplifies the often serendipitous routes via which we become friends with people exhibiting disparate personalities and how these associations, despite a visible dichotomy, continue to not only endure but also thrive.

First produced for a design exhibition for Hauser & Wirth in London, UK, Strange Friends can be presented as a vitrine of eight individual lighting designs arranged on a large flat plinth. While each piece exists as an individual item, they also serve as punctuation points within Shaw's larger thought process of assembling waste plastic to fashion them into novel usable objects. "The work is a series of meditations on the nature of form and material; weight, gravity, melting and flowing being key themes along with the central connecting theme of the use of waste plastic. [We built] on various techniques explored in the studio for a number of years to create a collection of functional and sculptural pieces,” reads an excerpt from the press release.

The usage of waste plastic is a fundamental part of Shaw's work. He collects it, melts it down and reforms the pieces into objects that flout the common image of plastic items. In doing so, Shaw helps reframe the common perception of plastic waste and demonstrates the scope of its usability especially in design. This overarching idea of creating value from a material that is generally considered a waste product is palpably exemplified in Strange Friends, where waste HDPE and polypropylene are combined with stone, polished metal and walnut timber to give form to bespoke objects. The decision to use stone, metal and walnut timber emerges, again, from the ubiquity of these materials. While often touted as the foundational materials for mid-century modern design, these are also generously utilised by craftspeople and artists who appreciate, celebrate and hone the innate qualities and temperaments of these materials.

Elaborating upon the making process of the product designs, Shaw shares, "I find it very hard not to hold on to nice pieces of wood or interesting bits of material if I find them in the street or we have them left over from another project. For instance, I found the granite stone in the Igneous Behaviour piece in an abandoned quarry near my hometown about eight years ago and I've been holding on to it ever since waiting for the right moment to use it. So part of the project was about finding homes and connections for all those beautiful pieces of material I had been storing for years."

Strange Friends encapsulates many different visual references. Some pieces reference Japanese and Chinese traditions of rock and stone appreciation while others allude to mid-century modernism, albeit subtly. However, the overarching visual characteristic that adorns each piece is derived from Shaw's material explorations and his attempt at letting the material drive the process.

While Strange Friends is a completed collection of eight objects by Shaw, the designer hopes to expand upon and explore the themes and processes utilised in the series, in some of his future projects, preferably perhaps for spatial projects.