Bobby Mills' ‘Charred' Exhibition Presents a Dialogue Between Fragility and Mass
otherthingsbyTHE SHOPHOUSEis currently hostingBobby Mills' solo exhibition,Charred. This showcase marks the craftsman and designer's second solo exhibition, featuring his latest body of work in charred English burr oak — a rare and visually striking timber whose swirling grain patterns evoke the turbulence of a fossilized storm.
Created in Mills' small studio in North Devon, each piece reflects the surrounding environment from the vast dunes to the west and ancient oak valleys to the north, infusing the work with a deep connection to the natural world. For the first time, Mills has applied his signature charring process to burr oak, salvaged from windblown trees that have endured centuries of slow growth. Working intuitively, he shapes each form to echo the wood's natural contours, producing chairs, stool and objects that balance charred fragility with enduring mass.
The blowtorch-scorched surfaces are meticulously cleaned and finished with natural wax, transforming them into landscapes of cracks, shadows and molten depth. This process not only preserves the timber but also heightens its tactile and visual complexity, turning functional furniture into sculptural meditations on erosion, resilience and rebirth.
Bobby Mills'Charredwill remain on view at otherthings by THE SHOPHOUSE until August 20, 2025.
otherthings by THE SHOPHOUSE31 Sun Chun Street,Tai Hang, Hong Kong
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