Design Miami 2019
DesignMiami/ showcases an impressive curation of contemporary furniture and design brands during the 2019 Miami Art Week.
Attracting thousands of visitors from across the globe, Design Miami/ launches its fifteenth edition on South Beach during Miami Art Week. Visitors are treated to an excellently curated exhibition that showcases the very best in furniture, art and design from iconic brands, galleries and design communities. A personal favourite to visit every year, the show continually evolves, providing a place for exhibitors to be daring, bold and creative. This is an exhibition with vibrant characteristics and a massive love for design. With so much going on, see just a few top highlights from the fifteenth edition below.
Friedman Benda / Daniel Arsham
Friedman Benda presents an immersive installation by acclaimed artist Daniel Arsham in collaboration with the gallery. Breaking away from the traditional constraints of an art fair, Arsham transforms the booth space into a translucent green box with cutout doors and windows to lure passers-by with its wonders. Described as a cabinet of curiosities, the space showcases Arsham's latest works in a surreal and slightly futuristic home/office setting. Stand-out pieces include the oversized standing 'Philly' arc lamp that peers over the tops of two blue upholstered armchairs, and the impressive 'Shanghai' desk and armchair; both cast in white resin with bites or chunks missing from them, giving the impression of disintegration.
AGO Projects
'Fun', 'colourful' and 'quirky' come to mind when describing AGO Project's stand. The design-centric hub is filled with curious pieces created from a vast array of materials to give a truly unique presence that attracts all the attention. The Fernando Laposse Mesa Sisal coffee table and matching bench brought a smile to many faces; the pink sisal hair covering the entirety of the base gave the piece animal-like qualities. Pots that appear to melt, floor lamps created from wooden chairs and paint-splattered Brutalist ceramics, this is a place that really does have it all.
Galerie Scene Ouverte
Wowing the crowds with their intriguing abstract pieces, Galerie Scene Ouverte focuses on a 'less is more' approach, allowing each design to speak for itself and 'shine in the moment' against an alluring indigo backdrop. Many works on display take on organic forms inspired by the natural world. Nadège Mouyssinat's 'Pseudosphères' console table stands elegantly to one side of the stand, balancing on its sculptural stalactite legs. As if imitating the reflections of the water, stalagmites appear to protrude upwards, giving the piece a striking presence. Other designs to note are the three-piece ceramic coffee table in the centre of the stand created by William Coggin and the beautiful 'Bijou' cabinet designed by Célia Bertrand constructed from brass and porcelain.
TAKT Project
One of the most fascinating and innovative brands showcased at Design Miami is the Tokyo-based TAKT Project. Having first discovered its work during the 2019 Milan Design Week, the studio has gone on to share its designs across Europe and the US. Their 'glow grow: pottery' is created from resin that is slowly dropped around a formation of light-emitting diodes and left to solidify, creating unique forms that have a beautiful 'icy' feel to them. The pieces blur the boundaries between the natural and artificial worlds.
Todd Merrill Studio
Instantly recognisable and a staple to many a design exhibition, Todd Merrill Studio adds colour, vibrancy and quirkiness to this exhibition, showcasing works that appear to be from other fascinating life forms. Described as an exhibition-based program that represents an international group of established and emerging contemporary artists, the studio certainly knows how to curate, pairing designs and artists together, encouraging conversation and interaction. Brecht Wright Gander studio appeared to be the star of the show, exhibiting works that include the 'Yo Burri@ Lamp - Decay and Flourish' - the tall metallic black trio of lights that appear to grow from its base. The Kismet Console is another of Gander's pieces, it's shimmering, fluid-like formation gives a sense of freedom and unpredictability.