In the landscape of collectible furniture, British architect/designer Ashley Hicks (b. 1963) stands out. He brings a unique and personal typology, informed by his sensitive and artistic passion for the history of decorative arts, from which he has forged his own vision when creating what is known as “antiques of the 21st century.” Although Hicks is a member of the contemporary design movement and his work carries some of its characteristics (handcraftsmanship, personal expression, narratives, and sculptural forms), he does not belong to any group, mode, or style. His work is detached from contemporary design trends, so I like to consider it “slow design.”
He is equally daring when it comes to the use of color and bold forms, unafraid to call his work ‘decorative.’ Hicks’ colors are bright, happy, and impactful. “I could not live without colors,” he told me, referring to the deep and layered colors and textures in his work, enriching his objects with a quality that has the power to transform spaces. He works across multiple disciplines such as objects, interiors, and textiles, and he attains them all with his own signature. Working solo at his studio in Oxfordshire—which he created at his country house—Hicks could not be happier spending his days at the studiom, when crafting objects in his own hands, using resin and paint, his signature materials.
In his new solo show Ashley Hicks: Manhattan Stones, which opened last week at R & Company, Hicks expresses his love for Manhattan, and as always, he is doing it his own way. The inspiration comes from old photographs dated during the golden age of Manhattan skyscrapers and found in museum collections; from historical ceramics; Georgian furniture; and from Greek sculptures which he had seen at the collection of the Met. He created the entire collection with his own hands, carving blocks of foam and shaping them into gemstones or animal legs, then covering them with resin and finally with his brilliant colors. Resin is his way to give a contemporary expression to his work. When you look at the brilliant surfaces, you can easily mistake these forms as being clay covered with high gloss glaze. but when you touch them, you immidiately recognize the lightness. His pieces look just like jewels, like the gemstones which inspire him to forge his language.
Hicks’ career has been multifaceted, including publishing books about his father, the legendary interior decorator David Hicks, and on the magnificent historical interiors of Buckingham Palace, which he has mastered; creating collections of wallpaper, carpets, and fabrics. However, it was in 2012 that he began to create one-off furniture and objects by hand, and by today, he has reached his mature language and has mastered his techniques. His mirror frames are just magical, his chandeliers, inspired by gemstones look surreal, and his totem sculptures made in resin, clay, glass, and wood, are simply divine. Not to mention that Hicks himself is delightful, modest, somewhat shy, and oh-so brilliant.
The exhibtion will be on view through August 9th.
Gorgeous. Hurrah for colour!