CY Space

Lightly presents Twenty Years: The Making of a Symbol

Objects are woven into tradition through the accumulation of human interaction – the stories that accrete around them, the sensorial memories they hold as they pass from one person to another. This exchange brings material stories to the foreground, prompting contemplation of our relationship with objects and the stories woven between humans and culture.

The exhibition presents a collection of new works in a tactile satellite presentation. This includes three new bodies of work – artisan-crafted pieces in wool, resin and steel, developed through in-house collaborations with local artisans.

The steel works celebrate theatrical forms, honest materials and utilitarian design that have guided Lightly since 2005. Resin honours the studio’s beginnings in acrylic; wool explores patterns inspired by folklore and tradition, like the doilies of the first collection – tactility and memory. Each material is an exploration of enduring meaning.

The exhibition considers what transforms an object from form into symbol: when it embodies not just function but meaning earned through time and touch, and when it is recognised not by design alone but by a collective sense that it carries shared values and histories.

The exhibition is a celebration of connection and a twenty-year community.