London gallery Themes & Variations has opened an exhibition of furniture, lighting and sculpture by designer Tom Dixon that spans his over 40-year career, which he says is "like having a visual psychotherapy session".
The Tom Dixon: Metalhead exhibition features 52 pieces, including the designer's 1986 welded metal chairs that were exhibited at Themes & Variations in 1987 in the early stages of his design career.
The exhibition showcases works from Dixon's more than 40-year career. Photo by Dan Fontanelli
"Having a retrospective exhibition dating back to the 1980s feels kind of like having a visual psychotherapy session," Dixon told Dezeen.
"Everything is out and aired, and nothing is hidden. One bonus is that it frees me to let go and move on." Chairs, sculptures and lighting by Dixon feature in the exhibition
Alongside the welded metal chairs in the exhibition are some of Dixon's other notable archival designs, including the cantilevered 1987 Rafia chair, the sculptural wire frame Pylon chair from 1991 and the 2007 Extruded chair made from free-formed extruded plastic.
More recent works on display include the curved tubular Hydro chair and a series of mask-like sculptures and chairs evocative of Dixon's early work, which were made during the 2021 coronavirus lockdown when Dixon was experimenting with welded salvage metal.
Tom Dixon: Metalhead is on display at London's Themes & Variations gallery
To Dixon, each piece in the exhibit...