Contemporary Design and Industrial Heritage

Commissioned in 1991 for British Rail Freight, Danny Lane’s spectacular Trainload Freight proves that great public art belongs completely to its environment. Standing three metres tall, this striking piece captures the very spirit of Britain's industrial railway heritage. Instead of sitting directly on the base, the icicle-like shimmering stacked glass column floats and hovers above the ground, suspended by antlers of fluid, forged steel. Below sits a raw mound of polished coal, nodding directly to the proud industrial history of the railway. By letting the bright green glass hover and sway weightlessly over the dense, heavy coal, Lane beautifully contrasts the energy of motion with the solid history of the railway tracks. It stands as a brilliant reminder of how Lane uses the environment the work is situated in, contemporary materials and conceptual methodology to celebrate an important part of British history. 

Architecture in the Domestic Sphere

Where Lane captures industrial history Dame Zaha Hadid shrinks the grand scale of the external world into the domestic sphere. Designed for the 'Principal' collection in collaboration with Established & Sons, her Nekton stools prove that great furniture design is inseparable from architectural lexicon. Crafted from sleek glass-reinforced polyester, these interlocking pieces mimic the organic, fluid structures of her world-renowned building designs. The curvy, united form splits apart into separate, distinct seats echoing a division of cells - a testament to the biomorphic shapes that characterise her work. It beautifully channels the exact same design ethos seen in her iconic design for the famous Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) museum in Seoul. Rather than just acting as static objects in a room, Nekton adapts and morphs depending on their environment, showing how deeply furniture design can connect to the spirit of a place. It stands as a brilliant reminder of how public architecture, and the language of, can be brought effortlessly indoors.

Further Contemporary Highlights

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Auction Details

Wednesday 7 October, 10.30am BST
Donnington Priory, Newbury, Berkshire RG14 2JE

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Viewing at Dreweatts Newbury: Donnington Priory, RG14 2JE
Saturday 3 October: 10am-3pm
Sunday 4 October: 10am-3pm
Monday 5 October: 10am-4pm
Tuesday 6 October: 10am-4pm

Further information
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