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Gallery FUMI presents Crockery, an exhibition of new works by British designer Max Lamb, on view from September 11 – 30, 2025. The design exhibition, created in collaboration with 1882 Ltd., a contemporary ceramics factory based in Stoke-on-Trent, England, is part of this year's London Design Festival at the Mayfair Design District (September 13, 15 – 20, 2025), London. The furniture on display is crafted using slip-cast earthenware, formed from plaster models meticulously carved by hand. "An embodiment of the innovative spirit of both Lamb and 1882 Ltd., this series challenges the conventional perception of ceramics as delicate and unsuitable for functional design," notes Gallery FUMI.
"Traditionally, ceramic invites caution. We approach the material as something delicate or relegate it to the realm of the decorative. The idea that it is robust, that it is sturdy, or that it could be weight-bearing is naturally counterintuitive. Our understanding of a material forms the tacit instruction for how we place, move or apply our bodies in relation to that material," they continue.
The result of the creative dialogue between the furniture designer and 1882 Ltd. is a series of chairs and stool designs. Crockery is a material investigation that challenges the way we perceive and interact with ceramics and our inherent understanding of clay as a material and its functional possibilities. "Ceramic, often perceived as fragile and untouchable, intrigued me – especially because ceramic furniture is so rare. I wanted to explore its potential, not just as a sculptural medium but as a material capable of supporting the human form," Lamb remarks in an official release.
For the furniture design series, Lamb bypasses digital design and modelling altogether, choosing instead to work directly with solid blocks of plaster using the tools of a stonemason. Each form is shaped through physical engagement rather than computer precision. The process is then handed over to the expert hands at 1882 Ltd., where 23 skilled potters guide each piece through a meticulous production cycle—including a three-week drying period and a 36-hour firing at 1140 degrees Celsius, a temperature at which clay becomes unstable and behaves like molten glass.
"Ceramic is unpredictable," says Emily Johnson, founder of 1882 Ltd. "Each piece is a true collaboration between Lamb and our master potters, who bring centuries of combined experience to ensure these ambitious designs are realised." What emerges from the kiln is far more than furniture. With hues of white, black and pink, achieved solely through firing rather than surface treatment, these sculptural forms defy expectation—raw and refined, ancient and futuristic.
The contemporary design exhibition also features a behind-the-scenes installation on the gallery's lower ground floor. Here, moulds from the production process and a documentary film offer visitors a rare insight into the collaborative craftsmanship behind each object. "A testament to collaboration and shared knowledge, not only do we see the final products, but [we also] gain an intimate understanding of the minds and hands that went into them. These works represent not just chairs and stools, but a bold statement on craftsmanship and collaboration, marking a milestone in a longstanding relationship between Lamb and 1882 Ltd," Gallery FUMI notes.
In a design landscape often dominated by rapid prototyping and digital tools, Crockery is a compelling reminder of the tactile, human-centred labour of making.
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