“Open Edition” at The Future Perfect in New York.
Photo: Joseph Kramm
6 Collectible Design Shows to Explore in January
From a Nilufar collaboration at The Future Perfect to an exhibition spotlighting ten women designers at Jessica Silverman
“Seeing Things” when it was first installed at Carpenters Workshop Gallery in London. Photo: Carpenters Workshop Gallery
1. “Seeing Things” at Carpenters Workshop Gallery | Paris
After debuting in London last October, this poetic solo show featuring new works by acclaimed British potter Gareth Mason is heading to the City of Light. Starting January 18, the Paris outpost of Carpenters Workshop gallery will display a series of Mason’s bewitching vessels, which meld iron-enriched clay and porcelain along with stone inclusions that add intrigue and mystery. A riot of glaze tends to sheathe the visually arresting works, which also maintain a raw, oxidized quality.
“Broomlithic” at R & Company. Photo: R & Company
2. “Broomlithic” at R & Company | New York
Lebanese design duo Stephanie Sayar and Charbel Garibeh founded their studio, Sayar & Garibeh, in 2015 as a way to create innovative, unique objects and furnishings and quickly gained acclaim on the design-fair circuit for their irreverent spirit and masterful attention to detail. While much of their creative output has a modern, glossy sheen, their latest works look to the Stone Age as an aesthetic touchstone. Indeed, “Broomlithic” references the ancient art of stone carving and marries it with a primitive tool: the broom, a humble yet utilitarian object that has changed little in hundreds of years. The engrossing show, on view in Tribeca until April 19, features gently carved Lebanese stone tables, benches, and chairs adorned with fibers that suggest the bristles of the iconic domestic brush.
“Earth and Accident” at Guild Gallery in New York. Photo: Guild Gallery
3. “Earth and Accident” at Guild Gallery | New York
Ever since opening in late 2021, Manhattan’s Guild Gallery has presented a stellar lineup of exhibitions spotlighting some of the most talented artists and craftspeople working today. The latest show, “Earth and Accident,” marks the first time that historic treasures are brought into the fold. Curated by Luke Syson, the group show is on view until January 20 and builds on themes presented at the gallery’s Frieze Masters 2023 debut. On view are vintage works by George E. Ohr, Peter Voulkos, and Toshiko Takaezu in dialogue with more recent pieces by Peter Callas, Eisuke Morimoto, Ludmilla Balkis, and Casey Zablocki.
Carmen D'Apollonio, No way out, 2022. Photo: Marten Elder
4. “Enthroned” at Jessica Silverman | San Francisco
A witty sense of playfulness pervades the new group show at Jessica Silverman’s San Francisco gallery just in time for the upcoming FOG Design+Art. Dubbed “Enthroned,” the display was co-curated by Friedman Benda’s Marc Benda and takes a closer look at the work of ten female designers, among them Carmen D’Apollonio, Lara Bohinc, Faye Toogood, and Najla El Zein. Contributions from two architects—Frida Escobedo and Johanna Grawunder—are also included, each one sending wildly different chairs that are both majestic and revolutionary.
“The New Transcendence,” at Friedman Benda in New York. Photo: Friedman Benda
5. “The New Transcendence” at Friedman Benda | New York
Can design serve as a vehicle for social transcendence? That is the central question that Glenn Adamson seeks to explore in his third and final curatorial effort for Friedman Benda, on view in the Chelsea gallery hrough February 24. Meditations on spirituality and connection permeate the engrossing show, which features new work by Ini Archibong, Stephen Burks, Najla El Zein, Courtney M. Leonard, Samuel Ross, and Andrea Branzi, who passed away in October. A highlight is a trio of pieces from Branzi’s Roots series, which consist of found sticks and driftwood embedded in metal cages, exploring the tension between the commodified and natural, the gestural and methodical.
“Open Edition” at The Future Perfect in New York. Photo: Joseph Kramm
6. Nilufar’s “Open Edition” at The Future Perfect | New York
Two global design powerhouses are joining forces. Nina Yashar’s Milan institution, Nilufar, is launching its Open Edition collection of furnishings in New York, at The Future Perfect, founded by David Alhadeff. Taking over the parlor floor of the gallery’s West Village townhouse until February 1, the eclectic array includes sculptural pieces of collectible design curated by Yashar and crafted by some of the buzziest names on her roster: David/Nicolas, Gal Gaon, Osanna Visconti, and Analogia Project among them. “We are thrilled to be bringing this exhibition to The Future Perfect, which we consider to be the authority on American design,” says Yashar. “This collaboration offers a dynamic glimpse into the future of design excellence born out of a partnership from two galleries who share a passion for innovation.”
Cover: “Open Edition” at The Future Perfect in New York.
Photo: Joseph Kramm
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