Design Miami/ opened its doors earlier this week, just across from Art Basel Miami Beach. Its colorful tent and entrance dotted with playful rocking chairs by Germane Barnes beckoned designers, collectors, and visitors of all kinds.
The fair, open through Sunday, December 4, brings together 50 delightful gallery and Curio presentations, and is curated by Maria Cristina Didero. The booths this year overflowed with color and texture—so much so, it was hard to keep our hands from pawing every chair, chandelier, table, and lamp to see what they were made of and how they felt.
Audrey Large’s works at Nilufar.
Audrey Large’s works at Nilufar in warped purple and white—standing as sculpture, table, mirror, and suspended lighting—looked like a rendering had come alive. Created with 3D printing, their surfaces looked like futuristic silk, with an iridescent shine that dazzled.
J. Lohmann Gallery presented “Curious Creatures” by Ahryun Lee and Toni Losey.
In an all-over teal booth, J. Lohmann Gallery presented “Curious Creatures” by Ahryun Lee and Toni Losey—a series of objects so appropriately named. Bulbous figures with antlers, three legs, and antennae were covered in dots and spikes in hues that contrasted their base layer. They stood next to gradient-covered, many-armed forms that looked like coral from another realm.
At Cristina Grajales Gallery, a blush velvet and mirrored platform bed by Mark Grattan beckoned—and not just because we were grossly in need of a nap this week in Miami. Its soft, curved frame called out to be touched, and its mirrored surface begged the question, how could you even dare add a mattress on top?
Andile Dyalvane at Southern Guild.
Southern Guild had an arresting group presentation of works by Andile Dyalvane, Zizipho Poswa, Porky Hefer, Rich Mnisi, Madoda Fani, Conrad Hicks, and more. Dyavlane’s multi-legged stools in ceramic were etched in scores and marks, circumvented with an intentional glaze that allowed the color of the clay to come through. They served as pedestals for circular objects covered in metal sticks and curved spikes.
Barbora Žilinskaitė at Friedman Benda.
The hand was quite literally present in the base of a beautiful bookshelf by Barbora Žilinskaitė at Friedman Benda. Fingers in rich blue interlocked to ground an undulating frame that housed ceramic fruits and vegetables.
Angela Damman at Sarah Myerscough Gallery.
Angela Damman’s chandelier and stools at Sarah Myerscough Gallery looked like cozy, delicious beasts—like the cousins of Falkor in The NeverEnding Story (1984). Created from sansevieria plant fiber, they cascaded from the ceiling to the floor in white, complementing Christopher Kurtz’s Skipping stone table in Poplar and Tulip wood.
Ulrika Liljedahl at Galerie Negropontes.
Evoking more fantasy hair dreams (and our apparent desire to not abide by the “Do Not Touch” rule of precious objects), was Ulrika Liljedahl piece at Galerie Negropontes. Titled, Présence Aigue Marine, its twisted form made of horsehair in blue, white, and black extended from the top of the booth, all the way to the floor.
SCAD’s presentation featuring Ceramica Suro
Also dangling from above was a rainbow of tiles, mirrored in a honeycomb of ceramics at SCAD’s presentation featuring Cerámica Suro. The installation by Nicolás Barrera highlights the work of the ceramics studio in Guadalajara, helmed by José Noé Suro, where SCAD alum like Lauren Clay, Gonzalo Hernández, Cory Imig, Nikita Nagpal, and others traveled to create works on view this week.
