On June 11 in Basel, Switzerland, a dynamic edition of Design Miami.Basel 2024 returns to the landmark Messeplatz for a global celebration of creative design, on view through June 16.
More than 25 exhibitors—including 9 new participants—will descend upon the picturesque Swiss locale, with special shows dedicated to the late luminary Gaetano Pesce. Pivotal moments and masterful pieces in the history of design will be illuminated by Ketabi Bourdet Design (Paris), Thomsen Gallery (New York), and Gallery Downtown-LAFFANOUR (Paris), while an immersive journey through materiality and forward-thinking design will be brought to life by prominent spaces including 193 Gallery (Paris).
“Sunbather,” 2023 by Barbora Žilinskaitė from Freidman Benda at Design Miami 2024, photo by Timothy Doyon.
Returning to its Flagship Locale after the Inaugural Edition of Design Miami.LA
“Last year was a significant milestone in the evolution of Design Miami, and this year will only see the momentum continue,” said Design Miami CEO, Jen Roberts. “The eighteenth edition of our Basel fair follows the announcement of our global rebrand, and the inaugural Los Angeles edition. I greatly look forward to returning to our flagship location in Basel, to continue our mission at Design Miami: building and cultivating creative collaboration and a global platform for cultural exchange.”
“We are delighted to be returning to our Swiss home for the eighteenth edition of Design Miami.Basel,” added Design Miami Senior VP of Fairs, Grela Orihuela. “This year’s programming presents us with an opportunity to celebrate the best in collectible design through the eras—from design history icons to future trailblazers. We are particularly excited to share with our international community such a robust Curio program, which will see seven galleries make their debut on our global platform.”
Alu Casted Marble Composition Wallpiece, 2024 by Ben Storms for Objects with Narratives at DESIGN MIAMI.BASEL 2024, photo by Alexander Popelier.
A Multi-Faceted Homage to Gaetano Pesce Unites with Rare and First-Time Exhibitions
Premier and meaningful collectible design presentations await at this year’s iteration of Design Miami.Basel. Throughout the entrance hall of the must-see show, a collaborative exhibition by Friedman Benda (New York/LA), Pulp Galerie (Paris), and downtown+ (Paris) will pay homage to the illustrious Pesce (1939-2024) with decisive works ranging from the 1970s to present, as well as the sweeping imprint of the design figurehead on Design Miami and the industry landscape as a whole.
Rare presentations abound, from the first-time shows of Galerie Eva Presenhuber (Zurich/Vienna), MAXIME FLATRY (Paris), and Objects with Narratives (Brussels), to the Curio program brimming with striking, debut exhibitions from Craft x Tech (Tokyo), Mameluca (Lisbon), Nolwa Studio (Hyderabad), Nick Thomm (Melbourne/Los Angeles), Pulp Galerie (Paris), and Karry Berreby (Paris).
“2 From Glendale to Paris,” 2022 by Carmen D’Apollonio from Friedman Benda at Design Miami Basel 2024, photo by Evan Bedford.
Evocative Themes Engage Audiences in Boundless Design Creativity
Poetic and thought-provoking themes underpin the 18th edition of Design Miami.Basel. “Stories of Materiality” unfolds from Objects with Narratives (Brussels), where the solo exhibition of skilled designer and craftsman Ben Storms, “Liquid Solids,” engages audiences in the creative’s boundless, experimental practice. Fluidity is placed front and center in this encounter, and a floor enhanced with a veil of water will set the buoyant scene, allowing the new Crushed series of metal works in ephemeral shapes to truly shine.
Galerie Gastou (Paris) inspires visitors once again at the fair with a focus on the profound nature of plastic through the minds of visionaries such as Shiro Kuramata, who approaches the craft with a keen sense of minimalism and tranquil purity, as well as the luxurious and dramatic bounty of Pesce. A deft collaging of forms and feelings ensues.
The creations of distinguished design duo François-Xavier and Claude Lalanne are unveiled by Galerie Mitterrand (Paris), and a singular Choupatte by Lalanne from the 1960s brings to new light the revelatory galvanoplasty technique of cabbage leaves doused in an electrolytic bath to produce awe-inspiring copper imprints.
“Fauteuil Crocodile,” 2015 by Claude Lalanne from Galerie Mitterrand at Design Miami Basel 2024, photo by Rebecca Fanuele.
The Curio Program Radiates Alongside Moments in Design History and a Global Focus
The Curio program radiates with Spazio Nobile (Brussels) and the “LUNISOLAR” collaborative exhibition—juxtaposing the imagination of Taiwanese designer Pao Hui Kao and Norwegian ceramicist Ann Beate Tempelhaug. Works of paper, lacquer, and porcelain, with calligraphy, poetry, and painting, explore the lyricism of the natural world.
Moments in Design History brings the debut of Maxime Flatry (Paris) and the unforgettable legacy of Jean-Michel Frank, while Galerie Eva Presenhuber (Zurich/Vienna) presents for the first time with a solo show of shapely designs by Franz West, uplifting everyday moments. The groundbreaking theme of Boundary Pushing Design brings with it the fierce simplicity of Philippe Starck and the neo-baroque lavishness of Elizabeth Garouste at Ketabi Bourdet Design (Paris). A Global Focus with exhibitors such as Angela Weber Möbel (Zurich), Galerie Eric Philippe (Paris), and Mameluca (Lisbon), meets with the astounding Design at Large program whose three vast installations unite sculptural and industrial works of progress and artistry. Shows by Galerie SCENE OUVERTE (Paris) with Rino Claessens, the kaleidoscopic talent Marie Piselli (Paris), and Ketabi Bourdet x LAFFANOUR (Paris) with Robert Wilson’s Hamletmachine chairs and table culminate in an unparalleled edition of Design Miami.Basel.
Cabinet de Curiosité, 1989 by Shiro Kuramata from Galerie Gastou at Design Miami Basel 2024, courtesy of Galerie Gastou.
