Objective Gallery is excited to announce the opening of "Todo lo Más (Needless to say)”- an exhibition in which we focus on the representation of natural materials and craftsmanship in contemporary functional art and collectible design, exploring the significance of the natural properties of materials and how it affects modern lifestyle.
After more than two months of absence, this is the first exhibition at Objective Gallery Shanghai since the epidemic lockdown. In a time of change, we turn our attention to nature and rethink the role of 'design' in our daily lives. Can raw, rugged, or unadorned materials, closer to the essence of life, satisfy the desire for authenticity in modern design?
From different countries and backgrounds, handmade by Héctor Esrawe, Manu Bañó and EWE Studio from Mexico, and Batten and Kamp, a New Zealand artist duo now based in Hong Kong. This group of work expresses their combined approach to natural materials and modern craftsmanship. Brass, marble, granite, and hand-crafted glass, the materials that make up the work condense time and at the same time showcase local craft traditions. The textures of the materials evoke a sense of the raw and the uncertainty of the production process brings poetry. The creators have given the works more varied shapes from a contemporary perspective. They work with materials derived from the natural world, retaining their original characteristics and celebrating nature as it is.
Our curatorial team has pieced together the memory fragments of the past time in Mexico, presenting these works using platforms and stands handmade with ceramic tiles and bricks, simulating a Mexican factory scene as part of this exhibition, and bringing visual elements of traditional Latin American culture to life. Artists are constantly exploring the local craft language, allowing the forces of nature to combine with local culture and highlight the materials themselves. Needless to say, it is not a nostalgic imitation, but a search for new possibilities and a tribute to the history and culture of the region.
