The Aram Gallery opened Small Step – an exhibition of work by ten young recently graduated designers. Visitors were able to see experimental works and ideas from designers across a range of disciplines, poised to take their first steps into the big, wide world.

 

The Aram Gallery is interested in their explorations and ideas as they are translated into new typologies and inventive uses of materials. At the core of each of the furniture, lighting, communication designs and photographic artwork is a unique point of view that leads to the development of playful, thought provoking designs.

 

Blue foam, traditionally reserved for model making and insulation takes a leading structural and aesthetic role in the Hiedi furniture by FX Ballery. 

 

Dip moulding technology, which serves for coating tool handles is used by MosleyMeetsWilcox to make playful, cleverly made lamps, in what was the first show of their new partnership.  Also on show is the Ghost table by MMW and the green shelf that houses growing ivy.  This offers a new idea of live decoration, a shelf you have to take care of, maybe a reaction to the cold.

 

Lenses become objects also to be looked at as the light falls on the subtly engraved messages in Aviva Leeman’s ceiling installation. 

 

Photographed discarded small objects, often bits of rubbish, present a linguistic challenge to furniture imagery in Karen Ryan’s prints.

 

The safe bedside table that doubles up as a club and a shield, by James Mcadam, reflects, with a smile, on the latent role and hidden potentials that furniture may serve beyond the first impression.

 

The multi-legged assembled bench, by Hugo Glover, uses no bonding materials as it is woven into a comfortable weight bearing seat that glides gently as it is pushed around the space.

 

The inviting square bench by Mika Tolvanen, suggests a relaxed group seating typology that can accommodate up to 12 people facing each other.

 

The alert curious camera of Janina Vogelsang picks up on the essence of the small step exhibition as she samples from her surroundings while on her journeys in an ever-changing point of view.

 

Experiments in light structure, new forms of transparency and the play of technical solutions as decoration are evident in Marcus Hirst’s fabric supported vacuum formed chaise and in the blister pack calendar.