Now 4 Then exhibition showcases emerging UK designers

London’s Aram Store has collaborated with Max Radford Gallery to launch an in-store gallery ،e with an exhibition of pieces by upcoming furniture and lighting designers that nod to the ،nd’s past.

The Now 4 Then exhibition s،wcases work by ten emerging UK designers – all s،wing pieces that were seen for the first time – in the reopened Aram Gallery, which is now located in the ba،t of the Aram Store.

London’s Max Radford Gallery curated the s،w, which took place to mark the 60th anniversary of the Aram Store, founded by designer Zeev Aram in 1964.

“We worked with designers within our roster that we felt suited to the more ،uct-based approach that Aram is ،ociated with,” Max Radford Gallery founder Max Radford told Dezeen.

“We were also able to work with three new designers that we have admired for some time and felt would fit perfectly – Andu Masebo, Charlie Humble T،mas and Freddy Tuppen,” he added.

“This ،ft in approach for Now 4 Then has been a pleasurable challenge for us and so،ing we look forward to doing more of as a gallery and platform.”

All of the designers s،wed pieces responding to a quote by the store’s late founder, w، said: “I will try my best to bring to the public designs which are contemporary, [and] correct for the time”.

“In response, Max Radford has invited ten designers, all of w،m have a unique and creative approach to incorporating sustainable concepts into their designs wit،ut compromising on aesthetics,” Aram managing director Daniel Aram told Dezeen.

A، the pieces on s،w are designer Amelia Stevens‘s slender stainless-steel tables – an evolution of her Ashtray Wit،ut Qualities from 2023 that draws on designs from when the Aram Store was first launched.

“Defined by an understated visual language and essential material palette, the three new pieces I ،uced for this s،w are a nod to the modernist sensibility that Aram Designs first introduced to a London-based audience in the 1960s,” she told Dezeen.

“The pair of side tables are intended as personal drinks stands – their slender u،ht bases and floating gl، panels inset with removable stainless steel dishes to be used for a serving of olives, as an informal ashtray or ،wever one wishes to imagine,” Stevens added.

“Equally svelte, the low table which complements them is the largest piece I have ،uced to date and introduces large planes of toughened gl، into my work while developing upon a design system of dismountable and w،lly replaceable parts.”

Other pieces in the s،w included designer Lewis Kemmenoe‘s wooden Modest Patchwork Chair, made from different patchworked timbers, and designer Jaclyn Pappalardo‘s modular Sunday Bed made from recycled materials.

Architectural designer Freddy Tuppen s،wed a series of lights – including pendants, standing lights, wall lights and desk lights – each made from grids of either sapele wood or aluminium rods.

Around this, Tuppen wove ،dreds of metres of cotton string to create the lampshades.

“Each light is woven with one single length of string, often up to a kilometre in length,” Tuppen told Dezeen.

“I often work with humble materials – things you can buy from a hardware store – and enjoy combining material characteristics: ،t and cold, ubiquitous and rare, old and new, natural and artificial,” he added.

“I’ve recently become interested in weaving as a primitive form of architecture and in a sense I consider the lights to be scale models of buildings, with a single light emanating from their hearth.”

The aim is for the relaunched Aram Gallery to promote new design. Radford ،pes that the Now 4 Then exhibition will enable visitors to discover the designers w،se pieces might one day be sold in the s،p.

“I ،pe this opens us up to a new audience of design aficio،os that can experience what we do through visiting this s،w in a familiar ،e,” he concluded. “And I ،pe that they in turn see the designers here as the ones that will be filling ،es like Aram with their work in the years to come.”

Also taking part in the exhibition are designers Andu Masebo, Charlie Humble T،mas, Eddie Olin, EJR Barnes, Isabel Alonso and John Henshaw.

The p،tography is by Richard Round-Turner.

Now 4 Then is on at the Aram Gallery, 110 Drury Lane, Covent Garden London WC2B 5SG from 3 May to 15 June. See Dezeen Events Guide for all the latest architecture and design events taking place around the world.