Our Gallery
The Aram Gallery was founded by Zeev Aram in 2002 as an independently curated gallery that encouraged and promoted experimental and new design.
From its start until the covid pandemic the gallery held four or five new shows per year, addressing experimental design within the realms of furniture, product, jewellery, graphics and fashion. The diverse exhibitions included solo and group shows, with thematic, material or process led focus. Exhibitors were both established and emerging and were selected because of their experimental design thinking.
The main objective of the gallery has always been to provide a space where people could discover new ideas and be inspired. "The doors are open and we welcome everybody who is interested in design to come and have a look." - Zeev Aram.
After being established by Zeev Aram and founding curator Daniel Charny, The Aram Gallery built up a strong presence and achieved international attention. Until 2015, the gallery was curated by Héloïse Parke. Then, Riya Patel was the curator until March 2020, when the gallery had to close due to the covid pandemic.
While a few shows have been held since the end of the covid pandemic, the passing away of Zeev Aram in 2021 led to a relative hiatus in activities. Now, however, the gallery is up and running again in a new location on the lower ground floor at Aram's 110 Drury Lane home, and with an updated focus.
Adaptations
The concept behind Adaptations, which has been developed in partnership with USM Modular Furniture, came from a visit to the company’s factory and headquarters in Switzerland, where the engineers have adapted or intervened with the USM Haller system to create bespoke pieces that aid them in their day-to-day work. The resulting pieces are unselfconscious pieces of functional design.
Inspired, we set ten UK-based creatives an open brief to design a piece for their practice or home life which deviates from the conventional applications of the original USM Haller system. The exhibitors come from a variety of disciplines: architecture, art, textiles, interiors and product design. In fact, many exhibitors’ creative practice extends beyond those fields. Variety was important as with three key themes of function, deviation and narrative, we wanted to present a show of engaging and personal designs which demonstrate the qualities of USM Haller even when it is pushed beyond its limit by the creativity of our ten exhibitors.
While some participants were already familiar with USM Haller, others began from scratch. The system is both beautifully simple and highly complex at the same time – and each of the reinterpreted solutions reflect this duality. Some have made only slight modifications and stayed closed to the intention of USM Haller, some have placed their piece in an entirely new context, and others have pushed far beyond its intended usage. In the designs we find custom upholstery, surface textures and cuts, atypical hardware and light bulbs, and new materials such as thread, linen, canvas, wood and paper. Each process, fixing or material added with consideration and purpose.
Works by:
- David Searcy
- Holly Rollins
- Issi Nanabeyin
- Jennifer Dyne
- Kengo Horikoshi
- Livia Lauber
- Mair Cook
- Mitre and Mondays
- Studio Rhonda
- Si Hyun Park
Friday 08 November – Saturday 14 December 2024
Monday – Saturday, 10:00 – 18:00