the fall of the damned chandelier luc merx model: damned.mgx © the artist, courtesy .mgx by materialise

the V&A‘s current exhibition telling tales, explores the recent trend among european designers who push to produce limited edition pieces which border between art and design. the show is divided into three sections: the forest glade which draws on fantasy and nature expressing the spirit of fairy tales, the enchanted castle which exaggerates and parodies historical design styles often associated with displays of status and heaven and hell which deals with themes of mortality and the afterlife. on show are a selection of furniture, lighting and ceramics by international designers who deliver the spirit of story-telling through their work, each telling a tale by their choice of materials, use of decorative devices or historical allusions. the exhibition runs until october 18th, 2009. telling tales at the V&A the fig leaf wardrobe, 2008 tord boontje © meta

telling tales at the V&A lathe chairs VIII, 2008 sebastian brajkovic © sebastian brajkovic courtesy of carpenters workshop gallery

telling tales at the V&A perished bench, 2006 studio job © studio job telling tales at the V&A sculpt wardrobe, 2007 maarten baas © maarten baas, courtesy of carpenters workshop gallery photograph by maarten van houten

telling tales at the V&A pixelated chair, 2007 studio makkink & bey photo by alain speltdoorn, courtesy of studio makkink & bey telling tales at the V&A the clone chair, 2005 julian mayor © julian mayor

telling tales at the V&A sensory deprivation skull, 2007 atelier van lieshout reinforced fibreglass telling tales at the V&A napoléon à trotinette chair, 2005 vincent dubourg © vincent dubourg, courtesy of carpenters workshop gallery

telling tales at the V&A white carrara marble cinderella table, 2008 demakersvan/jeroen verhoeven © demakersvan/jeroen verhoeven, courtesy of carpenters workshop gallery

telling tales at the V&A moulded mole fin image courtesy of the V&A

telling tales at the V&A koninklijke tichelaar makkum, 2008 pyramids of makkum by studio makkink & bey © courtesy of royal tichelaar makkum . photo: studio marten aukes photo: studio marten aukes

telling tales at the V&A flower pyramid, 2008 studio job © the artists, courtesy of royal tichelaar makkum . photo: studio marten aukes telling tales at the V&A ultimate art furniture chair, 2006 boym partners © boym partners

telling tales at the V&A general view of the exhibition

telling tales at the V&A general view of the exhibition