Objects With Narratives presents Faux Jumeaux by Ben Storms at BRAFA Art Fair

Objects With Narratives will present a solo exhibition, Faux Jumeaux by Ben Storms, at the upcoming BRAFA Art Fair in Brussels, running from January 25 – February 1, 2026, marking the Belgium-based designer’s first solo show with the art gallery. “At a time when it is becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish truth from lies, or to trust your own eyes, imitation could easily be mistaken for deception. Yet, if [Ben] Storms' presentation for the Brafa Art Fair turns out to be partly an ode to the notion of imitation, this should rather be seen as a historical reference—a sincere acknowledgement of a rich tradition,” Objects with Narratives notes in an official release.

Rather than critiquing imitation, Storms reframes it as a restorative act with Faux Jumeaux. The design exhibition draws on a long artistic tradition in which replication was considered a sign of mastery—an ability to capture the essence of a material so precisely that it invites closer inspection. In Storms’ hands, imitation becomes an ode to beauty, materiality and craftsmanship. “In my practice as a designer, I push materials to their boundaries, often questioning common notions. Does marble always have to look heavy? Can steel look soft? By creating shapes that verge on the impossible, I confuse the viewers, make them lose their balance briefly and stimulate them to look at familiar materials with a fresh eye,” Storms notes in the release.

At the core of Faux Jumeaux is a warm, honey-toned scenography that heightens the sense of ambiguity. The title, loosely translated as ‘false twins’, refers to quasi-identical forms and surfaces that appear mirrored but reveal subtle discrepancies on closer inspection. This invitation to look twice aligns closely with Storms’ long-standing engagement with moulds, casts and the transmutation of matter. “To this end, he collaborated closely with Pierre-Yves Morel, a master decorator who has become particularly adept at the subtle art of faux marble. It is an arduous craft, requiring unparalleled focus and dedication, verging on the ritualistic. This act of imitation is a testament to the original natural stone,” the contemporary art gallery explains.

At the heart of the show stands a semi-circular arrangement of reimagined room dividers. One side is composed of delicate marble mosaics, fragmented yet meticulously assembled, referencing the stones that underpin the Belgian designer’s practice. Opposite, steel surfaces are coated in liquid silver and fused by fire. “This creates a unique texture, distorting precise mirroring and subtly challenging the exhibition’s concepts of replication and reflection,” the gallery notes.

While theatrical in atmosphere, Faux Jumeaux remains restrained, allowing the works themselves to carry the conceptual weight. Together, they form a meditation on authenticity and illusion, presence and representation and the enduring relevance of true craftsmanship. “Taken together, [Ben] Storms' Faux Jumeaux embraces ambiguity in its most stimulating manifestation, prompting us to muse and reconsider,” concludes Objects with Narratives.