A collaborative exhibition of language & form by VaryLab and A Collection Of.
Thursday 23 April to Sunday 26 April 2026
Location: Allotment, Arbutus Street, London, E8 4DT
Rooted in proximity and process, SPECIMEN explores how letterforms can move beyond communication to function as physical elements across objects and surfaces.
Working between hand-made production and industrial techniques, the collaboration opens possibilities at a local scale, where material experimentation and dialogue drive the outcome. Tanguy Bertocchi (VaryLab) screen-prints typographic compositions directly onto wooden panels to establish a graphic foundation for Peter Haynes (A Collection Of.) to translate and construct into a three-dimensional form.
The exhibition presents a series of fifteen stools made from Valchromat©, an organic coloured wood fibre panel used throughout the project for its durability and saturated finish. Printed surfaces extend beyond furniture with a selection of textile works by VaryLab, including bags developed through the same process.
A short film by Alick Cotterill accompanies the presentation, documenting the project's development, from raw material through to print and construction.
Supported by Valchromat
https://www.investwood.pt/en/valchromat/
https://www.instagram.com/valchromat_official/
Hosted at Allotment
https://www.instagram.com/allotment_e8/
https://www.openarea.live
Peter Haynes is a London-based designer and maker whose practice, A Collection Of., brings together hands-on fabrication, material study and photography. Working across furniture, storage and homeware, he creates pieces grounded in utility, longevity and a material-conscious approach. His work is shaped by an ongoing interest in how objects are made, used and integrated into everyday life. His work features in residential & commercial spaces within the art, design & cultural spheres.
https://www.acollectionof.info
https://www.instagram.com/acollectionof.info
VaryLab, founded by Tanguy Bertocchi in Peckham in 2020, is a textile-focused practice rooted in experimentation and making. Working with screen printing, embroidery and reclaimed materials, the studio produces limited-edition clothing and accessories that emphasise durability, transparency and process. Guided by a DIY ethos, VaryLab transforms deadstock and discarded textiles into new forms with renewed purpose. Previous projects include Hyperdub, Caribou, Stüssy, New Balance, Reebok, Dover Street Market, Burberry, Croydon Council, Camden Council, and more.
SPECIMEN is a collaborative project between VaryLab and A Collection Of.
Rooted in proximity and process, the work explores how letterforms can move beyond communication to become physical elements across objects and surfaces.
A series of stools in Valchromat®, an organically coloured wood fibre panel, are hand screen printed to extend the project’s visual language into furniture. The same process is applied across a wider body of work, including textiles and bags by VaryLab.
Dimensions
Height: 450 mm
Width: 370 mm
Seat Diameter: 320 mm
Material
Valchromat® (19 mm) Valbopan, Nazaré, Portugal
Design & Production
Made by hand in Peckham, London
Notes
Each stool is individually screen printed, resulting in slight variations in finish and pattern.
Lead time: 2–3 weeks from order
Collection from Peckham, SE15 or hand delivery within London.
UK courier delivery available on request — workshop@acollectionof.info
SPECIMEN is a collaborative project between VaryLab and A Collection Of.
Rooted in proximity and process, the work explores how letterforms can move beyond communication to become physical elements across objects and surfaces.
A series of stools in Valchromat®, an organically coloured wood fibre panel, are hand screen printed to extend the project’s visual language into furniture. The same process is applied across a wider body of work, including textiles and bags by VaryLab.
Dimensions
Height: 450 mm
Width: 370 mm
Seat Diameter: 320 mm
Material
Valchromat® (19 mm) Valbopan, Nazaré, Portugal
Design & Production
Made by hand in Peckham, London
Notes
Each stool is individually screen printed, resulting in slight variations in finish and pattern.
Lead time: 2–3 weeks from order
Collection from Peckham, SE15 or hand delivery within London.
UK courier delivery available on request — workshop@acollectionof.info
SPECIMEN is a collaborative project between VaryLab and A Collection Of.
Rooted in proximity and process, the work explores how letterforms can move beyond communication to become physical elements across objects and surfaces.
A series of stools in Valchromat®, an organically coloured wood fibre panel, are hand screen printed to extend the project’s visual language into furniture. The same process is applied across a wider body of work, including textiles and bags by VaryLab.
Dimensions
Height: 450 mm
Width: 370 mm
Seat Diameter: 320 mm
Material
Valchromat® (19 mm) Valbopan, Nazaré, Portugal
Design & Production
Made by hand in Peckham, London
Notes
Each stool is individually screen printed, resulting in slight variations in finish and pattern.
Lead time: 2–3 weeks from order
Collection from Peckham, SE15 or hand delivery within London.
UK courier delivery available on request — workshop@acollectionof.info