LONDON.- Gallery FUMI presents Crockery: an exhibition of new works by designer Max Lamb in collaboration with 1882 Ltd., a contemporary ceramics factory based in Stoke-on-Trent, opening on 11 September 2025. The works are crafted using slip-cast earthenware 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.

In Crockery Max Lamb and 1882 Ltd. reevaluate our relationship to ceramic. Lamb’s mission has always been to experiment with every material. “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.”

Challenging material associations has been at the heart of Lamb’s development as a designer, and in this new body of work, history comes together with innovation to challenge the perceptual and embodied relationships we have towards ceramic.

The process begins with the heritage technique of slip-casting, traditionally reliant on a three-dimensional master model to produce a mould. However, for the Crockery series, this step is uniquely bypassed. Max Lamb serves as both designer and model-maker, using the tools of a stone mason to chip and carve solid blocks of plaster by hand. Each work emerges organically, shaped through the act of making itself - a method Lamb previously employed in his celebrated Crockery series of tableware.

Exhibited will be two designs of chair and two designs of stool, with each product taking weeks to make with all 23 potters at 1882 Ltd. involved in a meticulous process with the possibility for disaster at every stage. From filling the mould, tipping the mould, releasing the mould and then sticking up the chair, to the 3 week drying process and 36 hour firing cycle at 1140 degrees, the margins for error are as slim as they are for perfection. “Ceramic is unpredictable,” says Emily Johnson, founder of 1882 Ltd.“It shrinks, sags, and transforms during firing. At over 1,100°C, it behaves like molten glass. Each piece is a true collaboration between Max and our master potters, who bring centuries of combined experience to ensure these ambitious designs are realised.” What emerges from the kiln is not just a product borne out of innovation, patience, and a deep devotion to craft, but the product of a dialogue intertwining the knowledge of the 1882 Ltd. potters and the experimental creativity of Max Lamb.

In the lower ground floor of the gallery, a glimpse into the process will unfold as we see a representation of the 1882 Ltd. factory in Stoke through moulds and a film demonstrating the several steps and people involved in the making process. A testament to collaboration and shared knowledge, not only do we see the final products, but 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.

British designer Max Lamb creates objects that embody simplicity and directness through various tactile and responsive processes. His work reflects his belief that the process should be evident in the final product, with aesthetics emerging as a natural outcome of the making. Lamb’s designs, which primarily encompass furniture but also extend to ceramic tableware and engineered marble, draw inspiration from his upbringing in Cornwall, where he honed his practical skills and problem- solving abilities. Lamb’s creations have garnered recognition worldwide and are held in esteemed public institutions such as the Cooper-Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, the Design Museum Gent, and the SFMOMA, among others.