Clare Farrow Studio is an interdisciplinary curating, research, writing and production studio in London, with international experience that includes highlight exhibitions and installations in Roca and Barcelona Galleries, Milan Design Week, the V&A for London Design Festival, and Somerset House for London Design Biennale. Other collaborations include Musicity and English Heritage.
As part of an ongoing collaboration with SEKISUI HOUSE - KUMA LAB at The University of Tokyo, founded by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, the Studio’s latest project is the multi-sensory ‘Paper Clouds: Materiality in Empty Space’, an installation of architecture, design materiality, music and fashion in the famous 18th-century Nelson Stair in Somerset House. It is the Japan Pavilion for London Design Biennale 2025 (5-29 June).
An experiment in the lightness, inner strength and future structural possibilities of Japanese Washi paper - and a meeting of architecture, engineering, music and fashion - the installation features suspended paper clouds connected by golden kimono thread, and a new composition by Japanese composer and violinist Midori Komachi. For her live performances she will be dressed in a Washi paper prototype dress, designed by the KUMA LAB, and Mikimoto Japanese pearls. The music is being played through new bespoke stone speakers by Mineral Sound, and the project is also supported with public funding by Arts Council England, The Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation, Awagami Factory, Arup (Lighting), and other much valued supporters.
The project is also involving young musicians from London Music Fund and young designers based in London - celebrating connections, as a trigger for new ideas and inventions.
Founded by curator and writer Clare Farrow – a former magazine editor in London and Paris, with a background in art and design history, literature, fashion and music – this unique, experimental Studio initiates, develops and produces inspiring content, looking at current and future trends, and collaborating with international brands as well as academic institutions. Particular research interests include memory in design, the philosophy of Lightness, Japanese architecture, colour and texture in interior design, and health and wellbeing in small urban spaces. Humanitarian issues are also an important concern - reflected in the 2023 exhibitions ’Small Spaces in the City’ in London, and ’Paper Sanctuary’ by Shigeru Ban, London Design Biennale’s first Humanitarian Pavilion, and a meeting of design, poetry and photojournalism (now touring Japan).
Selected Exhibitions, Written Content & Events
2014 Tree Recordings for composer and environmentalist Ryuichi Sakamoto, Sapporo International Arts Festival (SIAF), Japan
2015-16 ‘Childhood ReCollections: Memory in Design’, Roca London and Barcelona Galleries, exh. & cat.: Zaha Hadid, Kengo Kuma, Nieto Sobejano, Daniel Libeskind, Denise Scott Brown, Philip Treacy, Adolfo Domínguez, Custo Dalmau
2017 ‘Face to Face with Memory’, London Festival of Architecture event with Kengo Kuma and Heatherwick Studio
2018-19 ‘Timber Rising: Vertical Visions for the Cities of Tomorrow’, with Studio Woode, Roca London Gallery, exh. & cat.
Experiments with timber in architecture and product design.
2018-19 ‘Memory & Light’ by Arup and Arvo Pärt, Norfolk House Music Room, V&A / London Design Festival, and Belsay Hall / English Heritage, exh. & film. Partner Harman Kardon
2019 ‘Bamboo Ring: Weaving into Lightness’ by Kengo Kuma, John Madejski Garden, V&A / London Design Festival. Partner Oppo
2020 ‘Musicity Expo 1’, with Nick Luscombe, London Design Festival, 8 digital projects with architects & musicians
2021 ‘Reinventing Texture’ by Toshiki Hirano / Kengo Kuma Laboratory at the University of Tokyo, Somerset House / London Design Biennale. Experimental installation with Washi paper
2021 ‘Bamboo Ring’ by Kengo Kuma with Musicity / Midori Komachi, Fuorisalone / Milan Design Week with Interni magazine
2022 ‘Bamboo Ring’ by Kengo Kuma / Kuma Lab, Arte Sella, Italy
2023 ‘Paper Sanctuary', The Humanitarian Pavilion by Shigeru Ban, Somerset House / London Design Biennale, exh. & film
2023-24 ‘Small Spaces in the City: Rethinking Inside the Box’, Roca London Gallery / London Design Festival 2023
2025 ‘Paper Clouds: Materiality in Empty Space’, Japan Pavilion, The Nelson Stair, Somerset House, London Design Biennale 2025
2025 Feature articles on Multi-functional Mid-century Furniture and Charlotte Perriand for ’Never Too Small’ magazine
