JB Blunk
Working primarily in wood and ceramic, JB Blunk (1926–2002) developed a distinct style that drew upon the Japanese principle of directness as well as an unfaltering reverence for the qualities of natural materials. Taking archetypal forms and translating them instinctively through raw, salvaged materials, Blunk produced a body of work that represents an innate expression of, and conversation with, nature.
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Daichiro Shinjo
Shinjo began practicing shodō, traditional Japanese calligraphy, at the age of four, carrying forward a lineage of Zen and Okinawan spiritual learning through his grandfather. His forms—organic, rounded, and bold—are shaped by direct, intuitive gestures. Like Blunk, he honors ancient traditional forms while creating space for new expressions, each mark a reflection of its time. During his stay at the Blunk House, Shinjo produced a series of new works on paper. Though appearing as singular, fluid gestures, each piece is the result of a slow, meditative process.
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Martino Gamper
London-based designer Martino Gamper’s practice includes interiors, design objects, and textiles of all scales and types. One of his foundational projects, ‘100 Chairs in 100 Days’, involved collecting discarded chairs on the streets of London and making one new chair each day from the old. Like Blunk’s, his work is playful, intuitive, and resourceful. Gamper used salvaged wood from local sawyer Evan Shively to produce cutting boards, wood-framed mirrors, and a series of benches for an exhibition at Blunk Space in 2023.
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RIO KOBAYASHI
Rio Kobayashi, who has both Austrian and Japanese ancestry, approaches his aesthetic influences and materials with reverent humor. Raised in Japan and now based in London, he crafts functional objects that are never too far from sculptures, embedded with joyful humor. During his stay at the Blunk House in 2024, Kobayashi sourced salvaged local redwood and hand-built a collection of custom furniture that bridges the gap between large-scale sculptures and functional objects.