Max Lamb

"Being able to make something is the most important aspect to designing an object…Without understanding how a material works, what it can do and what processes are available to you, then it’s impossible to design a product that’s both economic in its use of materials and efficient in the way it’s produced." Max Lamb is a furniture designer and maker whose diverse practice is characterized by total immersion in place, material or process, often a combination of all three. He employs an extremely thorough process of investigation, frequently working in parts of the world and with materials he has not previously encountered. Documenting each project is also an important part of his practice and there is a comprehensive library of photographs and film, which accompany each work.  On a visit to Chatsworth, Max discovered a felled yew tree in the grounds. The logs were transported to London, where they were turned with the help of Geoff Nichols in Walthamstow. The outer layers of bark and sap wood were stripped off to reveal the dark amber heartwood, a marbling effect which references the stone columns lining many of the corridors and galleries at Chatsworth. Since graduating from the Royal College of Art in 2006, Max has exhibited internationally and was awarded “Designer of the Future” award at Design Miami/Basel, 2008. He lives and works in London. Max is represented by Gallery Fumi, London.