Max Lamb (born 1980) is a British

furniture designer This is a list of notable people whose primary occupation is furniture design. A * Alvar Aalto (1898-1976) * Eero Aarnio (born 1932) * Robert Adam (1728-1792) * Thomas Affleck (1745-1795) * Franco Albini (1905-1977) * Davis Allen (1916-1999 ...

who combines traditional, often primitive, design methods with digital design. He is known for employing unusual approaches to using natural materials, including pouring

pewter Pewter () is a malleable metal alloy consisting of tin (85–99%), antimony (approximately 5–10%), copper (2%), bismuth, and sometimes silver. Copper and antimony (and in antiquity lead) act as hardeners, but lead may be used in lower grades o ...

onto sand, and

volcanic rock Volcanic rock (often shortened to volcanics in scientific contexts) is a rock formed from lava erupted from a volcano. In other words, it differs from other igneous rock by being of volcanic origin. Like all rock types, the concept of volcan ...

. His studio is based in

North London North London is the northern part of London, England, north of the River Thames. It extends from Clerkenwell and Finsbury, on the edge of the City of London financial district, to Greater London's boundary with Hertfordshire. The term ''nor ...

Personal life

Lamb was born in

Cornwall Cornwall (; kw, Kernow ) is a historic county and ceremonial county in South West England. It is recognised as one of the Celtic nations, and is the homeland of the Cornish people. Cornwall is bordered to the north and west by the Atlan ...

in 1980. He attended Amersham & Wycombe College for art and design in 2000 where he received several awards. He also received a City and Guilds Photography Certificate in 2000. He later attended

Northumbria University , mottoeng = A lifetime of learning , established = 1877 - Rutherford College of Technology1969 - Newcastle Polytechnic1992 - gained university status , type = Public , budget = ...

, receiving a degree in three dimensional design in 2003. In 2006, he received his master's degree in design products from the

Royal College of Art The Royal College of Art (RCA) is a public research university in London, United Kingdom, with campuses in South Kensington, Battersea and White City. It is the only entirely postgraduate art and design university in the United Kingdom. It of ...

. After graduation, his professor, industrial designer Tom Dixon, hired him as a special projects designer. Lamb started his own design firm in 2007. He has taught at Industrial Design at École cantonale d'art de Lausanne in Switzerland since 2008 and at the Royal College of Art. Lamb is married to

jewelry designer Jewellery design is the art or profession of designing and creating jewellery. This is one of civilization's earliest forms of decoration, dating back at least 7,000 years to the oldest known human societies in Indus Valley Civilization, Mesopo ...

Gemma Holt.

Works

Lamb works with a diverse range of materials including but not limited to stone, wood, metal, plastic, as well as "Marmoreal", a

terrazzo Terrazzo is a composite material, poured in place or precast, which is used for floor and wall treatments. It consists of chips of marble, quartz, granite, glass, or other suitable material, poured with a cementitious binder (for chemical bind ...

-like composite material that he himself invented. He is known for his innovative approach and use of natural materials within his designs. An example of this experimentation is his triangular pewter stool, which he created by digging the form of the stool into the sand and pouring liquid pewter into the sand form. He has also made a pewter stool that combines hexagonal shapes. Another example of natural elements used in his art work is his nano-crystalline copper dishware collection. Lamb often uses traditional techniques to achieve innovative contemporary solutions. His ''Urushi Series'' is a collection of seating, tables and cabinets finished with Urushi lacquer from

Wajima, Ishikawa is a city located in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 27,698 in 12768 households, and a population density of 65 persons per km². The total area of the city was . Geography Wajima occupies the northwester ...

, Japan. The structure of each piece is obtained by cleaving chestnut with green-woodworking techniques in order to preserve the natural appearance of the wood. Urushi lacquer is then applied following traditional Japanese methods. Lamb's respect for natural materials, specifically wood, is evident in the project 'My Grandfather's Tree by Max Lamb'. Shown for the first time at

Somerset House Somerset House is a large Neoclassical complex situated on the south side of the Strand in central London, overlooking the River Thames, just east of Waterloo Bridge. The Georgian era quadrangle was built on the site of a Tudor palace ( ...

(London, UK) in 2015, the project was a compilation of 131 logs installed and arranged in the same order the tree was meticulously cut. Originally the work formed a 187 years old Ash tree from Monckton Walk Farm (Yorkshire). As the tree started getting rotten, the designer decided to give it a new history; this resulted in a collection of 'general purpose' logs that respect the tree's life by revealing its growth rings, knots, branches and crotches. The designer's extensive practice was epitomized in an exhibition entitled "Exercises in Seating" (2015) where he arranged in a circle 40 uniquely designed chairs that he made using various materials and techniques spanning the course of nearly ten years; the exhibition was held in

Milan Milan ( , , Lombard language, Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the List of cities in Italy, second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 ...

, Italy, during the Milan Design Week.

Exhibitions

2019
Max Lamb: Special Delivery - Salon 94 Design, New York, USA
2018 * Max Lamb: Exercises in Seating -

The Art Institute of Chicago The Art Institute of Chicago in Chicago's Grant Park (Chicago), Grant Park, founded in 1879, is one of the oldest and list of largest art museums, largest art museums in the world. Recognized for its curatorial efforts and popularity among visit ...

, USA
Re-Considering Canon
- The Design Museum, London, UK
Poème Brut
- Design Museum Gent, Belgium 2017
Boulders
by Max Lamb - New York, New York, Salo 94 Design * Solid Textile Board benches by Max Lamb for Really and Kvadrat -

Salone del Mobile The Milan Furniture Fair ( it, Salone Internazionale del Mobile di Milano) is a furniture fair held annually in Milan. It is the largest trade fair of its kind in the world. The exhibition showcases the latest in furniture and design from countrie ...

, Milan, Italy 2016 * Villa Noailles Design Parade - Hyères, France * Albanian Pavilion,

Venice Biennale of Architecture Venice Biennale of Architecture (in Italian Mostra di Architettura di Venezia) is an international exhibition of architecture from nations around the world, held in Venice, Italy, every other year. It was held on even years until 2018, but 202 ...

- Venice, Italy
Book & Branch - My Gandfather's Tree by Max Lamb
- Gallery FUMI, London, UK 2015
My Grandfather's Tree by Max Lamb
– Presented by Gallery FUMI,

, London, UK * Ayan Farah, Max Lamb, & Chris Succo - Almine Rech Gallery, London, UK * Echo - Exhibition -The Gallery at Plymouth College of Art, Plymouth, UK * Marmoreal, Design Miami/Basel - Dzek, Basel, Switzerland * Exercises in Seating - Milan, Italy 2014 * Design is a State of Mind -

Serpentine Gallery The Serpentine Galleries are two contemporary art galleries in Kensington Gardens, Hyde Park, Central London. Recently rebranded to just Serpentine, the organisation is split across Serpentine South, previously known as the Serpentine Gallery ...

, London, UK * Luke Gottelier & Max Lamb - Kate Macgarry, London, UK * Marmoreal, Milan Design Week - Dzek, Milan, Italy * 2013
Modern Makers

Chatsworth House Chatsworth House is a stately home in the Derbyshire Dales, north-east of Bakewell and west of Chesterfield, England. The seat of the Duke of Devonshire, it has belonged to the Cavendish family since 1549. It stands on the east bank of the ...

, UK 2012 * Making Ideas: Experiments in Design, GlassLab, The Corning Museum of Glass, New York, US * Mark-ing,

British Council The British Council is a British organisation specialising in international cultural and educational opportunities. It works in over 100 countries: promoting a wider knowledge of the United Kingdom and the English language (and the Welsh la ...

, Japan Design Week, Tokyo, Japan * Rocky Crockery for 1882 Ltd, London Design Festival, London, UK * RAW CRAFT, Fine Thinking In Contemporary Furniture, touring Exhibition by

Crafts Council The Crafts Council is the national development agency for contemporary craft in the United Kingdom, and is funded by Arts Council England. History The Crafts Advisory Committee was formed in 1971 to advise the Minister for the Arts, David Eccl ...

- Collect 2012, London, UK 2011
Studioware
- Gallery FUMI, London, UK * Superba - J.F. Chen, Los Angeles, US * Designs of the Year –

Design Museum The Design Museum in Kensington, London exhibits product, industrial, graphic, fashion, and architectural design. In 2018, the museum won the European Museum of the Year Award. The museum operates as a registered charity, and all funds generate ...

, London, UK * Deptford Design Market Challenge, Studio Raw, London Design Festival, London, UK * Prototypes & Experiments IV – The Aram Gallery, London, UK 2010 * The New Domestic Landscape - Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art, UK * Commissioned - Milan Design Week, Milan, Italy * Objects with a Void - Workshop For Potential Design, London, UK * The Vermiculated Ashlar, HSBC Private Bank Design Collection Commission & London Design Festival -

Victoria & Albert Museum The Victoria and Albert Museum (often abbreviated as the V&A) in London is the world's largest museum of applied arts, decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 2.27 million objects. It was founded in 1852 and nam ...

, London, UK 2009
Corn Craft
Gallery FUMI, London, UK * Passionsweg Max Lamb, R. & L. Lobmeyer - Vienna Design Week, Austria * Tokyo Designers Week - Tokyo, Japan 2008 * Beau Sauvage - Gallery Libby Sellers, London, England * Max Lamb Solo Show - Johnson Trading Gallery, New York, US
Materialism
- Gallery FUMI, London, UK * Solids of Revolution - Design Miami/Basel, Basel, Switzerland 2007 * Top Ten - British Council, Milan, Italy * Max & Hannah Lamb - Godolphin House, Cornwall, UK * Inspired by Cologne - Imm Colgne, Germany * Decompressions Chamber – Northern Gallery of Contemporary Art, Sunderland, UK 2006 * Max Lamb & Robert Phillips - Canary Wharf, London, UK * Design Mart -

, London * Made by Machine - Milan Design Week, Italy * Made in Nigeria - Yaba College of Technology, Lagos, Nigeria. * The Greenhouse - Stockholm Furniture Fair, Sweden. 2005 * The Shop -

The Royal College of Art The Royal College of Art (RCA) is a public research university in London, United Kingdom, with campuses in South Kensington, Battersea and White City. It is the only entirely postgraduate art and design university in the United Kingdom. ...

, London, UK * ISOS Collection - Furniture Works, London, UK * The Castle Keep - Newcastle upon Tyne, UK 2004 * Work in Progress Show - The Royal College of Art, London, UK * Design UK Selection - Gainsborough Studios, London, UK * Made in Newcastle - Hamals Design Shop, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK * Pulse - Earls Court, London, UK * Design London - Superstudio 13, Milan Design Week, Milan, Italy 2003 * New Designers, Urban Interiors - Commonwealth Institute, London, UK * Max Fraser’s Design Pick of 2003 - Gainsborough Studios, London, UK 2000 * Foundation Exhibition, Amersham & Wycombe College – Amersham, The Netherlands

Awards

* 2010 –

HSBC HSBC Holdings plc is a British multinational universal bank and financial services holding company. It is the largest bank in Europe by total assets ahead of BNP Paribas, with US$2.953 trillion as of December 2021. In 2021, HSBC had $10.8 tri ...

Design Collection Commission * 2009 – 'The Essence of the 21st Century' Courvoisier Award * 2008 – ‘Designer of the Future’ - Design Miami/Basel * 2004 – Hettich International Design Award

Museums acquisitions and collections

Centre National des Arts Plastiques The Centre national des arts plastiques (National Centre for Visual Arts, Cnap) is a French institution established in 1982 under the Ministry of Culture and Communication that promotes creation of visual arts. It provides assistance to artists and ...

, Paris, France - Urushi Stool *

The Israel Museum The Israel Museum ( he, מוזיאון ישראל, ''Muze'on Yisrael'') is an art and archaeological museum in Jerusalem. It was established in 1965 as Israel's largest and foremost cultural institution, and one of the world’s leading encyclopa ...

, Jerusalem, Israel - Sheet Steel Chair *

- London, UK *

Wolfsonian Museum The Wolfsonian–Florida International University or The Wolfsonian-FIU, located in the heart of the Art Deco District of Miami Beach, Florida, is a museum, library and research center that uses its collection to illustrate the persuasive power of ...

- Miami, US * Cooper Hewitt, New York, US - Copper Series Chair, Pewter Stool, Scrap Poly Chair * Design Museum Gent, Belgium - Jigsaw (Richlite)

Books / Publications

''My Grandfather's Tree'' (2015) ''Exercises in Seating'' (2015) ''China Granite Project II'' (2010)

References

External links

Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lamb, Max 1980 births People from Cornwall British furniture designers Living people British interior designers Alumni of the Royal College of Art Alumni of Northumbria University