Oku by Kathleen Reilly | London Design Festival 2024 at Galleria Objets
September 14th-22nd 2024
’Kathleen Reilly presents her first solo exhibition of her award-winning design Oku, a new knife with a unique folded handle crafted in collaboration with highly skilled artisans in Tsubame-Sanjo, an area in Niigata Prefecture, Japan, renowned for its metalworking history for over 400 years. The exhibition showcases the completed design with wood produced in collaboration with Karimoku Furniture, Japan’s leading wooden furniture manufacturer. An installation presented alongside Oku comprises a collection of objects from Japan and the UK that inspired the design, a self-written poem printed on Japanese washi paper, her studio scene recreated in the corner of the gallery and a film celebrating the fusion of Eastern and Western cultures.
In addition, Oku Pop-Up Shop & Cafe is running in the front space of the venue during the festival period, both highlighting Oku’s launch and creating a hub celebrating Eastern and Western cultures on Brick Lane. The space offers a carefully curated selection of items from Tsubame-Sanjo and beyond, where visitors can learn about acclaimed craftspeople’s techniques while enjoying drinks and snacks in a relaxed space.’
Featuring: Conte, Tsuboe, Oku, Yoshita-Handi Design, Gyokusendo, Mentsen, Toge, Wasara, Hiroki Saitoh
Direction & Curation: Paz Castro
Video & Editing: Riyo Nemeth | Tsubame-Sanjo Videography: Kakeru Ooka | Music: Hiroki Saitoh
Oku produced by Factarium & Karimoku Furniture | Oku Pop-Up Shop & Cafe supported by Ritsu Yamada
Images by Tian Khee Siong
