PLATFORM: Bethan Laura Wood
Bethan Laura Wood recently took to the stage at Designer Day, part of the Frankfurt consumer goods fair Ambiente. Now the British designer and artist is unveiling her solo exhibition at the Design Museum in London.
Wood is renowned for her experimental approach to design. Her work combines bold colours, intricate patterns and unusual material pairings to create a unique style that blurs the boundaries between art, craft and functionality. Her creations include furniture, lighting, jewellery and large-scale installations. She draws inspiration from everyday objects, historical ornaments and global craft traditions.
The exhibition is divided into three thematic areas: Desire, Adornment and Hyperreality. Each section begins with an object from Wood’s personal collection that serves as a starting point for the theme and offers a personal insight into her inspirations.
Desire
The Desire section explores the emotional connections people form with objects. An avid collector herself, Wood explores why certain objects hold special meaning for us. A highlight of the section is a tea set designed by Wood, whose patterns gradually reveal themselves through use. The exhibition is complemented by a playful installation of colourful embroidered dessert sculptures inspired by still life paintings from the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.
Adornment
Adornment focuses on ornament and decoration as integral aspects of design. Here Wood presents her reinterpretation of the classic Tolix Chair A. Her version combines industrial precision with feminine, almost baroque forms – partly inspired by Queen Elizabeth I and the robot Maria from Fritz Lang’s *Metropolis*.
Hyperreality
In the final section, Hyperreality, the designer explores the boundaries between the natural and the artificial. Her works play with illusion, challenging the viewer to rethink their perception of materiality. These include the sculptural wall light HyperNature, whose aluminium branches and PVC flowers appear at first glance to be real plants.
The exhibition is part of the Design Museum’s new PLATFORM series, which aims to showcase leading voices in contemporary design. The exhibition is free and open to the public. Everyone is invited to immerse themselves in the creative world of Bethan Laura Wood.
