Rebecca Hubbard
Posted: Monday, August 16, 2010 10:23 am

Corfield Morris is excited to be presenting the work of contemporary designers and artists including: Andy Harper, Jose den Hartog & Chris Kabel, Martina Leykamm, Sian Matthews, Nicole Mollett, Gareth Neal and Shan Valla at Space 54, Rivington Street, London EC2A 3QN for the duration of the London Design Festival 2010. Drawing inspiration from both traditional historical forms as well as the Post-Modernist Decorative movement of the late 1980s, these designers and artists re-interpret these from a contemporary perspective. The death of decorative art has been called time and again. This exhibition aims to demonstrate that it is undergoing a revival and designers and artists following this rich tradition are producing innovative work today.  

Andy Harper 
As an exclusive UK premiere, Andy Harper will be exhibiting a series of botanically inspired prints. Taking the sinuosity of weeds as inspiration, he has created a series of highly evocative prints, at times eerie in their ethereality.

Chris Kabel & Jose den Hartog
For the first time in the UK, Chris Kabel and Jose den Hartog will be exhibiting the well-known ‘Coral’ tulip vase, of traditional Dutch Delft-ware form, decorated in the traditional blue and white palette with coral motifs, inspired by 18th century botanical illustration. 

Martina Leykamm
As another UK premiere, Martina Leykamm will be showing vintage tea cups and saucers straight from Berlin’s flea markets. Hand-painted, one off pieces decorated with scenes inspired by the elegant tea-drinking salons of 18th century Berlin.  

Sian Matthews
Will be showing work from her ‘Organic’ and ‘Traditional’ series of silverwork with decoration inspired by floral and historical motifs. Each bowl, vase and champagne bucket is crafted individually by hand, to create a one-off piece. 

Nicole Mollett
For the first time, Nicole Mollett will be unveiling a series of lead pencil drawings of clouds taken from across the Kent skies. Inspired by traditional landscape painters such as Constable, by focussing in on an isolated detail, she creates a series of highly decorative abstractions.

Gareth Neal
Fresh from the Vauxhall collective’s Urban Picnic Gareth Neal will be exhibiting the Corian ‘Anne’ console last shown at the gold medal winning Thrive at the Chelsea Flower show. Here, the serpentine silhouette of a traditional Queen Anne table is visible through the finned outline of a modern block table. 

Shan Valla
Will be exhibiting halved ceramic busts from her ‘Half Objects’ series, a radical take on the historical bust, alongside glasswork from her ‘Bud vases’ and ceramic objects from her ‘Lady Lace’ series.