West London prepares for an extraordinary convergence this autumn. Carpenters Workshop Gallery presents three concurrent exhibitions at Ladbroke Hall that will reshape how we see art, design, and sculptural expression. From 14 October through 14 February 2025, Rick Owens Furniture, Atelier Van Lieshout, and Thibault Hazelzet occupy the prestigious space during Frieze London and PAD London 2025.
Rick Owens Furniture: Rust Never Sleeps
“Rust Never Sleeps” presents Rick Owens‘ latest exploration into time’s transformative power on metal. The exhibition celebrates natural patina and oxidation, that slow dance between materials and environment. Michèle Lamy, co-founder and Managing Director of Art and Furniture at Owenscorp, curates this dialogue between industrial decay and sculptural beauty.
The California-born designer continues his material experimentation through these sculptural works. Each piece embraces rust and weathering, transforming deterioration into objects of profound beauty. This isn’t decay. It’s evolution.
The striking “Antler Bed” (2025) anchors the exhibition. Owens merges organic forms with industrial materials, combining sleek minimalism with emotional texture. Furniture transcends function here, becoming sculptural statement.
The “Double Bubble Bed” (2025) appears to emerge naturally from its materials while maintaining Owens’ rigorous design sensibility. Luxurious fur throws soften the industrial edge, creating dialogue between comfort and brutalism that defines his work.
“Curial Rust” (2022) sits alongside an arrangement of antlers, demonstrating Owens’ ongoing fascination with natural forms integrated into contemporary design. The designer draws inspiration from “his favourite shapes from Eileen Gray to Brâncusi to California skateparks.”
Michèle Lamy’s Curatorial Vision
Born in 1944 in France’s Jura region, Michèle Lamy brings unique perspective as both artist and entrepreneur. Her background as former defence lawyer who studied philosophy under post-structuralist Gilles Deleuze informs her curatorial approach, challenging conventional boundaries.
Lamy’s involvement in Rick Owens furniture since 2005 has been instrumental in developing the collection’s character. Her collaboration with artisans ensures each piece maintains hand-finished quality that distinguishes Rick Owens Furniture from mass production.
“Inspired by art and performance, Michèle blends raw materials with a sensual, rugged aesthetic,” the exhibition notes reveal. This philosophy permeates “Rust Never Sleeps,” where each piece demonstrates the balance between artistic vision and functional design.
Atelier Van Lieshout: Bad Ideas for Good Living
Joep Van Lieshout’s Rotterdam practice explores human drives and alternative worlds through “Bad Ideas for Good Living.” The solo exhibition spans gallery areas, Prouvé House, and Ladbroke Hall’s gardens. A new book bearing the same title accompanies the show.
“Mother with Eggs” (2022) presents a powerful bronze feline positioned protectively over spherical forms. The sculpture meditates on maternal instincts and protection, exploring primal nature that threads through the exhibition.
Photo: Benjamin Baccarani
“Predatory” (2021) takes abstract approach, its blackened bronze form rising from rust-coloured base like charred monument to survival instincts. The piece embodies Van Lieshout’s interest in “humans and nature, reflecting our shared instincts to survive, to dominate and to strive for utopia.”
Photo: Benjamin Baccarani
The playful “Collector I & II” (2024) introduces lighter notes. Bronze bird forms strut confidently across gallery space, reflecting Van Lieshout’s interest in freedom and mobility, representing “birds roaming the planet.”
Van Lieshout’s practice has challenged conventional approaches since he founded his studio in 1995. His work spans mobile homes to biogas installations, all created to facilitate freedom and explore concepts of autarky and survival.
The AVL Philosophy
Atelier Van Lieshout goes beyond traditional artistic practice. The studio’s history includes declaring independent state AVL-Ville in Rotterdam’s port in 2001, demonstrating commitment to exploring alternative social structures through art.
This radical approach pervades “Bad Ideas for Good Living,” where each work functions as aesthetic object and conceptual proposition. The exhibition draws parallels between human behaviour and natural instincts, creating “a self-portrait of primal nature and the quest for a better world.”
Van Lieshout’s international recognition includes major biennales across Gwangju, Venice, Yokohama, Christchurch, Shanghai, and São Paulo. The studio has received numerous awards since 1991, including the prestigious prix de Rome in 1995.
Thibault Hazelzet: Comme un Meteor
“Comme un Meteor” presents jewellery and functional artworks that embody what the Paris-based artist terms “delicate brutalism.” This approach creates tension between raw materiality and refined craftsmanship, where abstraction meets figuration unexpectedly.
Hazelzet’s inspiration stems from 19th-century wax cameos discovered in his parents’ book collection during childhood. This early exposure to classical imagery evolved into sophisticated practice casting jewellery pieces featuring scenes and figures from art history and classical mythology.
The exhibition features comprehensive collection of Hazelzet’s jewellery, including new chain necklaces with detachable pendants that also function as belts. This innovative approach to wearable art maintains functionality without compromising artistic integrity.
Rings, cuffs, and bracelets produced over three years represent “a vast collection” demonstrating evolution of Hazelzet’s technique and vision. Each piece contributes to “a creative universe that always maintains coherence despite its multiplicity of materials.”
PAD London and Gallery Context
This ambitious programme coincides with PAD London, 14-19 October 2025. Carpenters Workshop Gallery presents two distinct booths: one celebrating contemporary sculptural works across diverse mediums, another championing jewellery and design by leading female artists.
This dual approach reflects the gallery’s commitment to “blurring the boundaries between artistic concept and formal rigour in modern and contemporary design.” The presence at PAD London creates dialogue between intimate Ladbroke Hall setting and international art fair context.
Carpenters Workshop Gallery Legacy
Childhood friends Julien Lombrail and Loic Le Gaillard founded Carpenters Workshop Gallery, establishing it as pioneer in functional art and collectible design. The gallery’s origins in former carpenter’s workshop in Mayfair reflect their commitment to craftsmanship and material innovation.
Expansion to four international locations (London, Paris, New York, Los Angeles) demonstrates success in identifying artists who push boundaries between traditional categories. Their choices are “guided by seeking an emotional, artistic, and historical relevance and breaking boundaries between art and design.”
The Workshop complex in Mitry-Mory represents unique commitment to artistic research and production. This 8,000-square-metre space brings together elite practitioners and artisans, creating environment where collaborative production results in distinctive hand-finished qualities.
The New London Space
Carpenters Workshop Gallery’s new Ladbroke Hall location marks important evolution chapter. This expansive Notting Hill arts hub provides perfect setting for ambitious programming across all creative expression forms.
Ladbroke Hall’s architecture and gardens provide diverse spaces allowing each exhibition to unfold naturally. Indoor and outdoor space integration, including Prouvé House and gardens for Van Lieshout’s installation, creates comprehensive environment for experiencing these boundary-pushing works.
The convergence of Rick Owens Furniture, Atelier Van Lieshout, and Thibault Hazelzet represents far more than group exhibition. These three practices, each approaching art and design intersection from distinct perspectives, create comprehensive survey of contemporary possibilities for functional art.
From Owens’ meditation on time and material transformation to Van Lieshout’s exploration of primal instincts, and Hazelzet’s delicate brutalism bridging historical and contemporary concerns, this programme offers multiple entry points into understanding how contemporary artists redefine our relationship with objects, space, and function. Like the remarkable artworks currently heading to auction, these pieces demonstrate how artistic vision transforms everyday materials into objects of profound cultural significance.
*All images:
Bad Ideas for Good Living at Carpenters Workshop Gallery London. Photography by
Benjamin Baccarani. Courtesy of Carpenters Workshop Gallery
