Richard Lowry

Working for many years as a bespoke cabinetmaker making luxury wooden furniture for interior designers on commercial and domestic projects, Richard Lowry became fascinated by the idea of updating traditional processes that have all but lost their necessity in the modern world, due to machines, demand, or material changes. Lowry’s primary focus is exploring the line between art and design, with much of his artistic work exploring how traditional craft techniques can be applied to new materials or in new ways.

Richard Lowry, Future Heritage 2017 Alumnus

Since Future Heritage he has concentrated on commissions for the Emma Scully Gallery in Los Angeles and large-scale private bespoke works. He has recently moved to a larger studio in south-east London, where he also produces furniture in small batches to ensure sustainability and quality.

Liquid Plastic Chair By Richard Lowry

At Future Heritage

The pieces Richard Lowry made for Future Heritage, were the result of observations about our relationship with materials - particularly plastics. Generally, plastic products are considered disposable, consumable, and mass produced. Lowry designed pieces to challenge that narrative. He re-examined plastic, developing ways to use it in a sculptural manner; the result was a composite of liquid plastic, marble dust, and pigment which he employed to make furniture.

The works whilst functional provided a commentary on our often wasteful pattern of consumption, in which we consume without really caring for the object we are consuming and are, in fact, in pursuit of the process of consumption itself. These works took a material that is consumed in an ‘ugly’ way and refined it into something that was neither mass produced nor disposable; but was instead crafted and unique, comparable to a piece made from wood or marble – media which would be traditionally considered of higher-cultural materiality.

“Future Heritage was a great opportunity for me to make new connections with people that I would otherwise never have been able to meet. Having a platform for emerging craftspeople to be seen by industry professionals is unique and the path Corinne and her team created for young makers is incredibly important for the development of craft and the shape of its future. I am extremely honoured to have been included in the group and thankful for the opportunities I have received from being part of the exhibition.” - Richard Lowry

Current work

Recently Richard Lowry’s studio has been deeply involved in researching materials along all links of our supply chain. It has been working to source materials in a fully responsible manner and has instigated a tree planting system, to replenish more supplies than it uses. Alongside unique artistic pieces for galleries, the Studio has also been moving into batch production of pieces that correspond with its values and design principles.

A Paper Plastic Table By Richard Lowry

If you would like to make an enquiry about Richard Lowry and commissions, get in touch here or visit his website www.lowrylondon.com