CAOZITOU is a furniture brand created by STUDIO8 that combines material innovation with cultural significance. Their design philosophy centers on crafting simple, playful furniture pieces that harmonize with their surroundings while maintaining environmental and cultural responsibility.
Studio8 proudly presents the debut solo exhibition of Caozitou at Gallery 101 in Shanghai. Centered around the themes of life, growth, and the connection between humans and the material world, the exhibition offers a poetic journey of exploration. It has drawn a wide audience of designers, artists, and cultural enthusiasts, who came together to experience the brand's unique perspective on using furniture as a medium to convey emotions and build connections.
Titled A Love Letter to Life, the exhibition's preface sets the tone for the event. It invites viewers to reflect on the themes of growth and frequency, drawing inspiration from the humble yet symbolic grass. The works challenge traditional perceptions of furniture form and function, emphasizing the harmony between materiality, space, and human presence.
The exhibition showcases Caozitou’s signature design approach, blending traditional craftsmanship with contemporary aesthetics. Key highlights include the Ceramic Series, a collection of artistic benches that embodies the brand's core philosophy of organic growth and transformation. First unveiled at Design Shanghai 2022, the series has since undergone two years of continuous refinement. The exhibition features four newly launched benches: Tangible Mist, Summer Oddity, Green Desert, and White Garden.
A roundtable discussion titled Growth and Frequency added intellectual depth to the opening event. Guests from diverse fields explored three key dimensions:
Speed: The speakers emphasized the importance of aligning with one's own natural rhythm of growth rather than succumbing to external pressures.Direction: The discussion highlighted that growth is rarely linear, often requiring recalibration and new beginnings—an idea that resonates deeply with Caozitou's "go with the flow" philosophy.
Momentum: From artistic creation to architectural design, the guests shared insights into how inner motivation drives the process of innovation, offering the audience profound inspiration.
