The Aram Gallery continued its series of displays made up of prototypes and experiments sourced from designers’ studios. The displays form a long-term and ever-changing exhibition, with a new piece brought into the gallery each time another is sold or returned to its owner. Prototypes and experiments are critical elements in the development process of any new design.

 

The prototype is the manifestation of the design idea on its way to production; experiments are more like steps on the way.

The prototype, being part of a process, makes more real an idea that will lead to a final piece, and is not made with the intention of being sold or shown outside the designers’ studio. Experiments are also unique artefacts but are even less refined and sometimes constitute a partial sketch on the way to the prototype.

 

These objects however, can hold a rare charm; there’s an increased closeness to the designer’s imagination, and a directness to the making that often changes when manufacturing and marketing forces are fully integrated. The objects might be characterised by a technical or material discrepancy, compared to the final product, due to a lack of access of the designer to technology at the process stage. It’s a stark contrast to the current wave of limited editions – which has made for the unique to be diluted by multiples and for the production piece to be restrained in order to increase the value of singular pieces.

 

The Aram Gallery is interested in the way designers think and work. We have chosen to present these unique artefacts as part of our ongoing search for insight into the design process. To accompany the prototypes the exhibition will include selected drawings taken from the designers physical or digital sketchbooks.

 

Participants: Roger Arquer, Shin Azumi, Georg Baldele, Carl Clerkin, Nigel Coates, Caterina Fadda and Fran Santos, Gitta Gschwendtner, Demelza Hill, Yaacov Kaufman, Andre Klauser, Tomas Kral, Max Lamb, Tomek Rygalik, Rolf Sachs, Nina Tolstrup and Ben Wilson.

 

Photographer Shira Klasmer