Max Lamb - Design London Wednesday, April 24, 2013 | Phillips

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  • Literature

    Tony Joyce, Max Lamb: The Vermiculated Ashlar, London, 2010, passim for the production exhibited at the London Design Festival, The Victoria and Albert Museum

  • Catalogue Essay

    Max Lamb was awarded the commission for the present design, from a competition arranged through the initial and close partnership of the HSBC Private Bank and the London Design
    festival. This commission was unveiled during the London Design Festival at The Victoria and Albert Museum in September 2010. ‘The Vermiculated Ashlar’ is a replica section of the exterior surface from the HSBC Private Bank HQ at 78 St James Street. In his proposal Max Lamb states that the result of his work “will be a plaster monolith from which I will remove material by hammer and chisel (as used in stonemasonry) whilst adopting the philosophy of ‘direct carving’ to create a bench for public use –a place for people to connect”. The casting was taken directly from the exterior of the building, designed by the British architect Sydney Smirke in 1840 and is listed by the English Heritage for its historical signifcance. By using silicone to create a mould, the artist
    was able to capture the minute details of the sandstone surface of both a full length and end block taking two casts of each. Then Lamb constructed these four rubber moulds into a MDF container in which he poured liquid plaster and then sculpted the work. The present lot is the only other production from this special commission which is proudly being shown for the first time at Phillips. The first production pictured above in the Cast Courts at The Victoria and Albert Museum, is part of the HSBC’s Connection Collection and is located in the Lobby of HSBC Private Bank’s London office.

236

'The Vermiculated Ashlar', commissioned by the London Design Festival and HSBC Private Bank

2010
Hand-carved plaster.
132 x 112.5 x 71.5 cm (51 7/8 x 44 1/4 x 28 1/8 in)
Unique example from the series of 2.

Estimate
£10,000 - 15,000 

Contact Specialist
designlondon@phillips.com
+ 44 20 7318 4019

Design

London 25 April 2013 2pm