10 names worth remembering from Design Miami/ 2018
Photo courtesy of Friedman Benda. Photography by Daniel Kukla.
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Miami Art Week is known for bringing together the art community’s biggest buyers, gallerists, and some of the world’s heftiest price tags. But just a few steps from the 1.4 million-square-foot Art Basel Miami Beach, art enthusiasts can wander over to Design Miami, a smaller gathering of design connoisseurs featuring collectible design galleries and meticulously crafted exhibitions.
The 2018 edition featured a lineup of 33 galleries from twelve countries and a design Curio program and Talks program. Often dubbed the ‘Capital of Latin America,’ Miami has become the ideal platform for Latin American designers looking to broaden their audience. To follow is a list of some highlights from the show— be sure to look out for names like Carla Fernández and Pedro Reyes, gt2p, the Campana brothers, and others that are setting the trends in collectible design. miami2018.designmiami.com
Design miami/ Visionary Award | Pedro Reyes & Carla Fernández
The Design Miami/ Visionary Award is presented to “a designer, patron or activist who has significantly contributed to the field of design and influenced the world through continued, tangible, and lasting impact.” This year’s winners were artist Pedro Reyes and fashion designer Carla Fernández, who presented several pieces throughout the fair, including the fair’s graphic identity inspired by protest posters from the May 1968 Paris uprising, a revolution that signaled a social and cultural turning point and inspired an artistic movement.
entrevero by Cristian Mohaded
Photo by Fabian Morassut.
Argentine designer Cristián Mohaded presented Entrevero, a collection that “seeks to cultivate a new means of expression that crosses the boundaries between design and art” by making honesty and sensory richness the priority. The Entrevero cabinet is made from discarded cow leather, blue Onyx and German nickel. cristianmohaded.com.ar
Cristina Grajales Gallery
Photo courtesy of Design Miami/.
New York gallery Cristina Grajales has become an established name in contemporary design by consistently blurring the line between art and design. On display at this year’s booth was furniture made in memory foam by the gallery’s newly-unveiled talent, South Korean designer Sang Hoon Kim. Colombian designer Hechizoo’s artisanal, woven rugs and Stefan Bishop’s powder coated bronze coffee table also made memorable appearances. cristinagrajalesinc.com
Didier Ltd.
Photo by Julia Ardila Zurek.
Specialized in the acquirement of historic jewelry made by artists, designers and architects, Didier Ltd. presented a very rare jewelry collection by a lineup of South American names, including the Chilean modern master Roberto Matta and Cuban artist Wifredo Lam. didierltd.com
The Shapes of Water by Fendi
Photo by James Harris.
To celebrate the tenth year of its partnership with Design Miami/, Italian fashion house Fendi presented an in-depth installation by designer Sabine Marcelis. For this occasion, Marcelis used water as her primary design tool, creating ten fountains made of cast resin, inspired by ten of the brand’s most emblematic symbols and its logo. fendi.com
Friedman Benda
Photo courtesy of Friedman Benda. Photography by Daniel Kukla.
New York-based Friedman Benda made its return to Design Miami/ with a booth inspired by the ancient Japanese zen garden, incorporating natural and industrial materials to showcase work by six internationally acclaimed designers: gt2p, Joris Laarman, Florian Idenburg SO-IL, and Faye Toogood. friedmanbenda.com
KAWS x Campana
Photo courtesy of Friedman Benda. Photography by Daniel Kukla.
Just next door, Friedman Benda also unveiled the much-awaited KAWSxCampana, a collaboration between American artist KAWS and Brazilian designers Fernando and Humberto Campana that features limited edition pink and black armchairs and a sofa made of soft toys recalling a cartoon character frequently used by Kaws. The chairs, part of a series Estudio Campana has been adding to for over a decade, appeared to be one of the more popular social media spots at the fair.
Sillas de México by Kurimanzutto
Photo courtesy of kurimanzutto.
Mexico City-based gallery kurimanzutto presented a selection of chairs by architect and designer Oscar Hagerman. The selection highlights the importance of his contribution to design meant for everyday use, starting with his 1969 Arrullo chair, a product that became a mainstay of Mexican homes. kurimanzutto.com
Mercado Moderno (MeMo)
Transestruturas, photo courtesy of Estúdio Mameluca.
Brazilian Mercado Moderno selected a series of Brazilian midcentury modern pieces created from 1950-1970, mixing them with contemporary objects by Estúdio Mameluca. memobrasil.com
Side Gallery Barcelona
Established in Barcelona, Side Gallery focuses on Latin American historical design from countries such as Brazil, Mexico and Venezuela, particularly works by Luis Barragán, Lina Bo Bardi, Oscary Niemayer, and Joaquim Tenreiro. For the occasion of Design Miami/, Pedro Reyes presented his new collection, Tripod, based on Mexican tribal objects and the classic mortar and pestle shape, while Sabine Marcelis presented her resin and neon Totem light beside Martin Eisler’s iconic Reversível armchair. side-gallery.com
