The Aram Gallery was pleased to present British designer Bethan Laura Wood’s first solo exhibition in London, in association with Nilufar Gallery.  Zigzag : Crisscross showed a new collection of work from 2013, inspired by the urban environment.

 

Taking cues from two cities, London and Mexico City, Wood creates work influenced by her travels and the small, local details that she finds so fascinating.

 

From the ever-evolving, temporary structures of London’s East End – scaffolding, awnings and exterior fire exits – and her obsession with the laminate surfaces in local shops, Wood creates miniature buildings, high-rises and landscapes, to contain and display objects in the home.

 

In Mexico City, the Aztec-meets-Deco architecture of the Palacio de Bellas Artes, chilli-sugar treats (a growing obsession), triple-relief Baroque detailing and garlands of colourful treasures that fill Mexican markets inspire Wood to build with colour, transparency and light, creating illuminations for public and private spaces.

The Aram Gallery is interested in the way designers think and work. We chose to present Wood’s exciting new collection as an example of a contemporary working designer who experiments with materials and whose process is swayed by her unique fascinations. We were curious to consider how these seeming disparate clues manifest themselves in a collection of innovative design objects.

 

Zigzag : Crisscross exhibits works that express the vibrancy of Mexico City and London. Each piece, made in 2013, has been created during a year in which Wood has worked closely with Abet Laminati and been awarded commissions and funding from Design Miami Basel, W Hotels and Ketel One Vodka to produce new pieces.

 

To realise these projects and this exhibition Wood continues her collaborations with Italian Artisan Pietro Viero; Mexican Glass Producers Nouvel Studios; Graphic Designer Sarah Gottlieb; Designer Fernando Laposse; and Writer Liz Farrelly. 

 

Photographer Fernando Laposse