Faye Toogood is a British artist and designer working at the boundary between functional object and sculpture.
Her practice is rooted in the shapes and materials of the English countryside, from gnarled oak trees to ancient standing stones. It resists categorisation and is driven by contradictions: soft and hard, practical and poetic, handmade and industrial. Toogood begins with a hands-on process. Humble materials such as cardboard and clay are used to test and rework form, before being scaled up to the point of abstraction. Whether making a chair, a large-scale installation or a piece of public art, the result carries a sense of play and a directness of touch.
Her work is held in museum collections worldwide, including Philadelphia Museum of Art, PA, US, Dallas Museum of Art, TX, US, High Museum of Art in Atlanta, GA, US, Corning Museum of Glass, NY, US, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, Australia, Baltimore Museum of Art, MD, US, Denver Museum of Art, CO, US, Columbus Museum of Art, OH, US and Fabergé Museum, St Petersburg, Russia.
She has exhibited internationally at the V&A, London, UK, Triennale di Milano, Italy, D Museum, Seoul, South Korea, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, Australia, National Theatre, Doha, Qatar and Chatsworth House, Derbyshire, UK.
Faye Toogood is represented by Friedman Benda.
Biography
b.1977 UK. Faye Toogood lives in Hampshire and works in London, UK.
Selected solo exhibitions
- 2024
Assemblage 7: Lost and Found II, Friedman Benda, NY, US
- 2022
Clay Court, National Theatre, Doha, Qatar
- 2020
Assemblage 6: Unlearning, Friedman Benda, NY, US
- 2020
Downtime, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, Australia
- 2017
Family Busts, Family Triptych Tapestry and Tools for Life Mobile 2, Friedman Benda, NY, US
- 2017
Assemblage 5, Earth, Moon, Friedman Benda, NY, US
- 2015
The Cloakroom, V&A, London, UK
- 2015
The Drawing Room, Somerset House, London, UK
- 2014
Assemblage 4: Roly Poly, Milan, Italy
- 2012
La Cura, Salone del Mobile, Milan, Italy
- 2012
7 × 7, Seven Dials, London, UK
- 2012
Assemblage 3: Delicate Interference, Phillips de Pury, London, UK, and NY, US
- 2011
Assemblage 2: Natura Morta, Salone di Mobile, Milan, Italy
- 2010
Assemblage 1: Supernatural, London Design Festival, London, UK
Selected group exhibitions
- 2025
Magpie Tapestries, Friedman Benda, PAD London, UK
- 2023
Mirror Mirror: Reflections on Design, Chatsworth House, Derbyshire, UK
- 2020
What Would Have Been, Friedman Benda, NY, US
- 2020
Object & Thing, Noyes House, New Canaan, CT, US
- 2020
Kleureyck, Design Museum, Gent, Belgium
- 2019
Useful/Beautiful, Harewood House, Yorkshire, UK
- 2019
I Draw, D Museum, Seoul, South Korea
- 2018
When Attitudes Become Chairs, Columbus Museum of Art, OH, US
- 2018
Women + Design: New Works, Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas, TX, US
- 2018
Designing Women, The National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, Australia
- 2016
Design Currents: Oki Sato, Faye Toogood, Zanini de Zanine, Philadelphia Museum of Art, PA, US
- 2014
Abiti da Lavoro, Triennale di Milano, Italy
Selected installations
- 2018
I am Rock, Hermès, Paris, France
- 2017
Off Cuts, Carhartt WIP, London, UK
- 2015
Agender, Selfridges, London, UK
- 2013
petit h, Hermès, London, UK
Selected design
- 2026
Crease. Faye Toogood Studio × Meritalia
- 2026
Butter. Faye Toogood Studio × Tacchini
- 2025
The Sculptor and The Tailor. Toogood × Cubitts
- 2024
Gummy armchair. Faye Toogood Studio
- 2024
Solar. Faye Toogood Studio x Tacchini
- 2024
Peace. Faye Toogood Studio × Vaarnii
- 2022
RE-CUT. Toogood × Carhartt WIP
- 2021
The Forager and The Beachcomber. Toogood × Birkenstock
- 2020
Puffy. Faye Toogood Studio × Hem
- 2014
Roly Poly chair. Faye Toogood Studio
- 2010
Spade chair. Faye Toogood Studio
Selected awards
- 2025
Designer of the Year, Milan, Italy
- 2025
Designer of the Year, Paris, France
- 2025
Guest of Honour, Stockholm, Sweden
- 2025
International Designer of the Year, EDIDA, International
- 2025
Jury Prize Contemporary Design, PAD, London, UK
- 2025
Best Design, Wallpaper Design Awards, London, UK
- 2025
Dezeen Designer of the Year, London, UK
- 2020
AD Visionary Award, International
- 2019
Designer of the Year, The Netherlands
- 2016
Design Excellence: New Generation Award, Philadelphia Museum of Art, PA, US
Education / workshops
- 2023
Play workshop, Nike Headquarters, Portland, OR, US
- 2022
Fragmented Landscapes, Boisbuchet art workshop, Limoges, France
- 2019
Play workshop, Nike Headquarters, Portland, OR, US
- 2016
Soft Goods, Boisbuchet art workshop, Limoges, France
Monographs
- 2022
Faye Toogood: Drawing, Material, Sculpture, Landscape, Phaidon
- 2021
Faye Toogood: Assemblage 6: Unlearning, Apartamento
Contact
48A Union Street London, SE1 1TD
General
info@fayetoogood.comArtwork
gallery@friedmanbenda.comFurniture
sales@fayetoogood.comPress
fayetoogood@irbyrubinstein.com