Shelf Life

Artist list

Elena Lara Bonanomi, Caroline Broadhead, Season Cheng, Lin Cheung, Hau-Wen Chien, Olivia Cosh, Lucie Davis, Naomi Filmer, Melanie Georgacopoulos, Rosie Greener, Emily Grimble, Katy Hackney, Lily Harte, Stacey Huang, Jieun Kim, Giles Last, Fan Sze Li, Holly Mathewson, Marlene McKibbin, Maria Militsi, Akiko Shinzato, Ella Stern, Esna Su, Yuxi Sun, Florance Tebbutt, Anna Tuhus, Misha Venter, Max Warren, Silvia Weidenbach, Scott Wilson, Jennifer Wong, Scarlett Zhang, Juliette van der Kerchove

The concept of Shelf Life is apt for this exhibition, in that it is located within the shelves of the Vitsœ showroom, using the relationship between the shelf space and the works placed on them to reflect on issues of temporality and endurance.
To shelve means to put something aside, to discard, to remove from everyday use. In contrast, we use shelves to display, as a way to draw attention to and highlight things of importance. What do we keep on our shelves? How long do we keep them there? How does the shelf life affect the thing produced? What is life like to live on the shelf? What is life beyond the shelf? Are just some of the questions we can ask.
Some of the work displayed has been made in response to projects, some self-motivated, and some in response to the idea of shelves.
 
The basis we work to is that jewellery is a microcosm through which to explore and express responses to the world. The course values an open-minded approach, experimentation and risk-taking, along with the more traditional skills. And we encourage jewellery design to be explored, questioned and tested out in a number of guises and contexts, with skill and imagination.
Having the chance to show work from novice and veteran practitioners, from either end of a career path, is a valuable one. It demonstrates a continuity of the subject; how ideas are taken up, reworked, tussled with and how new ideas take hold. Shelf Life gives us the opportunity to celebrate the work of staff and students and which reflects some of our diversity and achievements. / Caroline Broadhead, Course Leader of BA Jewellery Design at Central Saint Martins
 
We are often amazed and charmed by the many different ways individuals and organisations wish to use Vitsœ’s shelves. But then this versatility is not surprising, as the 606 Universal Shelving System was designed to be discreet and to allow the content to speak.
The vibrancy of thinking and experimentation explored by the staff and students of Central Saint Martins, BA Jewellery Design course is both energising and brave. It feels natural for Vitsœ to support, both in the physical and literal sense, as this body of work challenges our thinking of how we use our shelves./ Jennie Moncur, Creative Director at Vitsœ

Opening event, 26 Feb from 18.00 - 20.30h
Talk by Lin Cheung and Naomi Filmer, 25 Feb from 16.00 - 17.00h
Exhibitors Tour, 27 Feb from 11.00-12.00h


About Central Saint Martins:  Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London  is internationally renowned for the creative energy of its students, staff and graduates with an exceptional reputation for educating foundation, undergraduate, postgraduate and research students in arts, design and performance. CSM’s award-winning campus at Kings Cross offers opportunities for creative collaboration and has provided an outstanding social scene for students.
Alumni include Francesca Amfitheatrof, Reev Aram, Emilia Clarke, Jarvis Cocker, Terence Conran, Peter Doig, Michael Fassbender, Colin Firth, Gilbert and George, Antony Gormley, Tom Hardy, Christopher Kane, Stella McCartney, Alexander McQueen, Raqib Shaw, Joe Wright.
CSM is part of University of the Arts London (UAL), an international centre for innovative teaching and research in arts, design, fashion, communication and the performing arts. The University is made up of six Colleges: Camberwell College of Arts, Central Saint Martins, Chelsea College of Arts, London College of Communication, London College of Fashion and Wimbledon College of Arts.

About Vitsœ:
Since 1959 Vitsœ has created and evolved furniture that allows its customers to live better, with less, that lasts longer. Vitsœ is renowned for its single- minded commitment to responsible design as well as its continuous production of Dieter Rams’s original furniture, for which it holds an exclusive worldwide licence. Vitsœ only sells directly to customers worldwide, ensuring a seamless process that nurtures lifelong relationships.
Both the 606 Universal Shelving System and the 620 Chair Programme are recognised as significant pieces of modern furniture design and can be found in museum collections such as MoMa New York, the Victoria and Albert Museum London and the Pinakothek der Moderne, which is located close to the Vitsœ Munich shop.