They say one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. For Martyn Thompson that phrase rings true.
The New York-based artist and force behind Martyn Thompson Studio has found another use for his discarded drop-cloths and rags, transforming them into beautiful woven tapestries and fabrics that can be applied to everything from wall hangings to lamp shades.
Aptly named ‘The Accidental Expressionist’, the collection of jacquard-woven fabrics and murals made its debut at The Future Perfect in New York last week.
Often overlooked details and the force of the artist’s hand were the focus of the collection, as Pollack-esque splatters encouraged viewers to closely examine each textile to see the layering of colours and stains that went into it. For each piece, the incidental marks left by the artist from past projects have been collected and photographed, elevated and given new meaning as they were transformed from by-product to end product.
Visitors to The Future Perfect’s showroom can see the collection applied as upholstery to furniture, made into pillows and – in the case of the 'Quarry' lamp – a lamp shade.
Resembling somewhat haphazard stacks of ceramic shards, the 'Quarry’ lamp is a collaboration between Thompson and the artist Dove Drury Hornbuckle. Made by hand, Hornbuckle crafts the composition of each lamp, with the crowning feature of each being a bespoke shade from Martyn Thompson Studio. The lamp is also available in a cast bronze edition, finished in a variety of patinas.
Aptly named ‘The Accidental Expressionist’, the collection of jacquard-woven fabrics and murals made its debut at The Future Perfect in New York
For each piece, the incidental marks left by the artist from past projects have been collected and photographed, elevated and given new meaning as they were transformed from by-product to end product
Viewers are encouraged to closely examine each textile to see the layering of colours and stains that went into each piece
INFORMATION
The ’Accidental Expressionist’, available from $380 per yard. For more information, visit The Future Perfect’s website
ADDRESS
The Future Perfect
55 Great Jones Street
New York, NY 10012
-
What’s new in the wearable world of smart glasses, and extended and augmented realityAre you ready for AR? Meta, Google, Snap and more are gearing up to compete with Apple and deliver frames-based communications devices – complete with AI integration
-
Italian-Japanese fusion’s a joy at east London’s Osteria AngelinaA Victorian warehouse in Spitalfields has been given a slick modern makeover to house a unique Italian-Japanese restaurant
-
Meet the Palestinian artist putting a candy-coloured twist on traditional glassmakingWith her company Ornamental by Lameice, designer Lameice Abu Aker is bringing joy and optimism to a time-honoured craft
-
Kvadrat’s new ‘holy grail’ product by Peter Saville is inspired by spray-painted sheepThe new ‘Technicolour’ textile range celebrates Britain's craftsmanship, colourful sheep, and drizzly weather – and its designer would love it on a sofa
-
Five things we loved at ICFF this yearFrom ceramic sconces to inflatables, here's the furniture and lighting that caught our eye
-
Liberty at 150: a history of the brand in 10 objectsLiberty is marking its 150th anniversary; to celebrate, we remember products and prints that helped make the department store the cultural touchpoint it is today
-
‘Boom: Art and Design in the 1940s’ explores the creative resilience of the decadeNoguchi and Nakashima are among those who found expression and innovation in the adversity of the 1940s; take a walk through the Philadelphia Museum of Art exhibition
-
Ludmilla Balkis’ organic, earthy ceramics embody the Basque countrysideThe sculptor-ceramicist presents a series inspired by and created from found natural objects in a New York exhibition
-
Designer Danny Kaplan’s Manhattan showroom is also his apartment: the live-work space reimaginedDanny Kaplan’s Manhattan apartment is an extension of his new showroom, itself laid out like a home; he invites us in, including a first look at his private quarters
-
New Superhouse show captures the rebellious spirit of Dan Friedman’s Manhattan apartmentIn the late 1970s, graphic designer and artist Dan Friedman transformed his apartment into a Day-Glo laboratory of ideas. Now, a new exhibition at Superhouse in New York revisits his vibrant, rebellious world
-
This Beirut design collective threads untold stories into upholstered antique furnitureBeirut-based Bokja opens a Notting Hill pop-up that's a temple to textiles, from upholstered furniture to embroidered cushions crafted by artisans (until 25 March 2025)
