100 candleholders glow with design possibilities at Blunk Space, California

Blunk Space, the gallery in Point Reyes Station, California, dedicated to honouring sculptor JB Blunk’s legacy, is set aglow by a new exhibition, ‘100 Candleholders’ (17 January – 28 March 2026). The show displays the work of 100 creatives from around the world – including the likes of Max Lamb, Bethan Laura Wood, Ido Yoshimoto and Jonathan Cross – each of whom was invited to craft a candleholder of any material, inspired by the late artist, his work, or the Blunk House, his self-built former home and studio, located in nearby Inverness.

‘100 Candleholders’ at Blunk Space

The showcase is the second in the ‘100’ series – following ‘100 Hooks’ in 2023-24 – and takes inspiration from Blunk’s 1981 ‘100 Plates Plus’ exhibition, which saw the sculptor explore the possibilities of a humble, everyday item and blur the boundaries between art and craft.

‘Though he often made plates in a strictly utilitarian way, for my family’s daily use in our home, his constant iteration on the form became a springboard for creating sculptures,’ explains Mariah Nielson, director of the JB Blunk Estate, Blunk Space, and the sculptor’s daughter. ‘As with “100 Hooks”, we're excited to see the breadth and depth of artist responses to something seemingly so humble and overlooked.’

Like plates, candleholders combine both decorative and utilitarian functions. Blunk made them throughout his career, playing with the scope of materials and sculptural form.

Here, artists and designers asked to do likewise include, alongside those mentioned above: David Wiseman, Vince Skelly, Maryam Yousif, Lisa Eisner, Studio Ahead, Rogan Gregory, Martino Gamper, Wilkinson & Rivera, Erica Toogood, Alana Burns, Aldo Bakker, Ian Collings, Tung Chiang (Heath Ceramics), Fabien Capello, Jochen Holz, Rafael Triboli, Rick Yoshimoto, Daichiro Shinjo, Frank Traynor (The Perfect Nothing Catalog), Rio Kobayashi, Charles de Lisle, Mariah Nielson, Minjae Kim, and Bosco Sodi.

‘100 Candleholders’ at Blunk Space from 17 January – 28 March 2026