Adam Nathaniel Furman Explained

Birth Date:November 1982
Birth Place:Paddington, London, England
Alma Mater:Architectural Association
Partner:Marco Ginex

Adam Nathaniel Furman (born November 1982) is a British artist, designer, writer, and academic. Furman specialises in work that is characterised by bright colours, bold patterns and ornaments. They[1] coined the term New London Fabulous.

Early life

Furman was born at St Mary's Hospital in Paddington[2] to an Argentine father and a German-Japanese mother, both Jewish,[3] and raised in North London near Finchley Road.[4] Furman attended Highgate School.[5]

In 2001, Furman enrolled in a foundation course at Central Saint Martins.[6] They went on to study at the Architectural Association (AA), graduating in 2008. This was followed by further graduate studies at the AA.[7]

Career

Furman became co-director of the AA's research group Saturated Space and opened Madam Studio. In 2013, they were invited to join the Design Museum's Designers in Residence programme.[8] In 2014 and 2015, Furman had a residency at the British Academy in Rome, where they were awarded the Rome Prize in Architecture.[9] Furman's winning project The Roman Singularity was later displayed at the Soane Museum in 2017.[10] They also returned to Central Saint Martins to teach and run the Productive Experience studio.

Named as one of the Architecture Foundations 'New Architects' in 2016,[11] Furman was also named a rising star of 2017 by The Observer as well as a new talent by Metropolis, who described them as "a master of surface and ornamentation" who relies on their "own imagination rather than trends for inspiration".[12] That year, Furman co-authored Revisiting Postmodernism with Terry Farrell, and was commissioned to design a futuristic town hall concept called Democratic Monument for Architecture Fringe.

Furman was named a 2019 FX Product Designer of the Year. In 2021, Furman had a sixth-month residency at King's Cross, where they installed the Proud Little Pyramid for Pride Month.

Furman co-edited the 2022 anthology Queer Spaces with Joshua Mardell,[13] which includes pieces from contributors on domestic, communal, and public spaces where LGBT+ individuals have found safety and solidarity over the decades.[14] As of 2023, Furman is in the process of creating a 57-meter-long mosaic mural titled A Thousand Streams on a wall outside London Bridge station with the London School of Mosaic,[15] as well as ceramic tile colonnades for the new Enclave tower in Croydon.[16]

Artistry

At a young age, Furman was inspired by the tiles and mosaics they saw in London Underground stations, particularly Eduardo Paolozzi's mosaics in the old Tottenham Court Road station.[4]

In an interview about Democratic Monument, Furman stated "In great contrast to the rest of our cultural output, our physical environment is crushingly uniform."[17]

In 2020, Furman coined the term New London Fabulous (NLF) to refer to a group of London-based artists and designers who reject "monochromatic minimalism"[18] in favour of "kaleidoscopic" colours, ornament, and geometry.[19] NLF also places emphasis on creating public spaces that represent and celebrate the city's local communities and cultures. Notable NLF figures include Yinka Ilori, Camille Walala, and Morag Myerscough.[20]

Personal life

Furman has their studio and lives in Belsize Park with their long-term partner Marco Ginex. They have dyslexia.[4]

Selected works

Public art and spaces

Other

Bibliography

Notes and References

  1. A little pyramid that's big on joyfulness. The JC. Tal. Fox. 30 June 2021. 27 April 2023.
  2. Web site: Find out about our new Amphitheatre. Paddington Central. 27 April 2023.
  3. This Designer Is Waging a Bold War Against a Monochrome World. Haaretz. Naama. Riba. 4 February 2020. 27 April 2023.
  4. What Adam Nathaniel Furman designed next. Financial Times. Rory. Robertson. 5 November 2021. 27 April 2023.
  5. Web site: Profile: Adam Nathaniel Furman. Design Curial. Sophie. Tolhurst. 16 April 2020. 27 April 2023.
  6. Adam Nathaniel Furman on colour, classicism and his new collection for Floor Story. Elle Decoration. Cat. Olley. 28 July 2023. 27 April 2023.
  7. Web site: AA alumnus Adam Nathaniel Furman featured in Dezeen coverage on 'New London Fabulous'. Architectural Association. 24 June 2020. 27 April 2023.
  8. Identity Parade by Adam Nathaniel Furman. Dezeen. Kate. Andrews. 21 September 2013. 12 June 2023.
  9. Rome Prize for Architecture 2014 awarded to Adam Nathaniel Furman. The Architectural Review. 12 June 2023.
  10. Adam Nathaniel Furman Condenses Rome's Architectural Wonders into Vibrant Ceramics. Metropolis. Debika. Ray. 29 November 2017. 12 June 2023.
  11. News: Moore . Rowan . 2016-03-12 . The architects building a future for themselves . en-GB . The Observer . 2023-06-26 . 0029-7712.
  12. New Talent 2017: Adam Nathaniel Furman's Electric Approach to Postmodernism. Metropolis. James. Taylor-Foster. 28 April 2023.
  13. News: Moore . Rowan . 2022-05-15 . Queer Spaces by Adam Nathaniel Furman and Joshua Mardell review – a fascinating LGBTQIA+ architecture history . en-GB . The Observer . 2023-06-26 . 0029-7712.
  14. Adam Nathaniel Furman on how queer spaces have shaken up the architectural canon. Wallpaper. TF. Chan. 6 October 2022. 27 April 2023.
  15. Web site: A Huge New Mosaic Mural Will Slowly Be Built In London Over The Next Year. Secret London. Sam. Barker. 6 April 2023. 12 June 2023.
  16. Croydon's newest tallest building update. Your Local Guardian. Tara. O'Connor. 7 March 2023. 12 June 2023.
  17. Adam Nathaniel Furman's Democratic Monument is a colourful concept for town halls. Dezeen. India. Block. 29 May 2020. 19 June 2023.
  18. From the British Melting Pot, "New London Fabulous" Emerges. Metropolis. Debika. Ray. 7 October 2020. 19 June 2023.
  19. Colourful "New London Fabulous" design movement is challenging minimalism, says Adam Nathaniel Furman. Dezeen. Marcus. Fairs. 26 May 2020. 19 June 2023.
  20. Web site: Design's new happy mood. BBC Culture. Clare. Dowdy. 28 March 2020. 19 June 2023.
  21. News: Reynolds . Laura . 24 July 2024 . New 57m-Long Mosaic Mural Unveiled At London Bridge Station . 13 August 2024 . Londonist.

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