From California With Love, exhibition view.
Photo: Benjamin Baccarani/courtesy of Carpenters Workshop Gallery
6 Must-See Collectible Design Shows in February 2024
Among them are Roger Herman’s colorful ceramics at Carpenters Workshop Gallery and Ralph Pucci’s first in-house collection in more than ten years
Primal Mysteries at Ralph Pucci. Photo: Antoine Bootz
1. “Primal Mysteries” at Ralph Pucci | New York
Ralph Pucci has just unveiled his namesake gallery’s first standalone collection in more than a decade with the release of “Primal Mysteries” in New York. Drawing inspiration from art-world giants including Giacometti, Brancusi, and Miró, the poetic series comprises 15 furniture pieces spanning lighting, tables, and seating that are united by a tactile, wabi-sabi aesthetic. The works were created by the in-house master sculptor with a team of artisans in gallery’s sculpture studio using Plasterglass, a proprietary material, as well as bronze, terra cotta, stone, and mosaic. “Each piece feels like it was dug from the earth, the right antidote to our high-tech, AI world, with its slick, glossy, and glass architecture in need of humanity,” says Pucci. “A home needs something earthy and with soul.” Don’t miss other new additions currently on view: ethereal lighting creations by Sébastien Léon and minimalist wall lights by John Wigmore.
Suspended Disbelief, exhibition view. Photo: Benjamin Baccarani/ courtesy of Carpenters Workshop Gallery
2. Carpenters Workshop Gallery | London
Fresh energy has been infused into the London outpost of Carpenters Workshop Gallery thanks to a trio of exciting new exhibitions: Wendell Castle’s “Suspended Disbelief,” Roger Herman’s “From California With Love,” and “HUNROD GOLD” by Michèle Lamy and Loree Rodkin x Rick Owens. Here, Los Angeles–based Herman has brought 15 of his latest wheel-thrown ceramics, each sheathed in painterly dashes of color, as well as six corresponding canvases that help further immerse visitors into his practice. An array of hand-sculpted zodiac rings is also on view, created by acclaimed jewelry designers Michèle Lamy and Loree Rodkin, put in juxtaposition with Rick Owens furnishings. And the gallery has also unveiled a celebration of key works by the late Wendell Castle, a pioneer of creating furniture that blurred the line between art and design. A treasure trove of discoveries awaits.
Bar stools by Pedro Barrail. Photo: CRISTINA GRAJALES gallery
3. “One Breath” and “De Imagen y Tiempo” at Cristina Grajales Gallery | New York
A pair of must-see exhibitions at Cristina Grajales Gallery showcase the power of mark making. After taking up the art of calligraphy during the pandemic and honing his skills at the School of Visual Arts, interior designer Aamir Khandwala has produced a striking series of Urdu-inspired canvases, which now grace the gallery as part of “One Breath,” which also features Andrea Barrail jewelry and a mixed-media collaboration by Rachel Jensen and Khandwala. Also on view is “De Imagen y Tiempo,” a solo exhibition of sculptural furnishings by Paraguayan-born artist Pedro Barrail, who tapped members of the Pai Tavytera to employ traditional pyrogravure methods on several of the works to give them a tattooed appearance.
Fumi L.A. is on view until March 9. Photo: Gallery Fumi
4. Fumi L.A. at Sized Studio | Los Angeles
London’s Gallery Fumi has landed stateside with a special pop-up coinciding with Frieze L.A., which takes place February 29 to March 3. Staged at Sized Studio, this six-week exhibition—which is currently open—marks Fumi’s first U.S. show and build on its presence on the design-fair circuit. On view are an eclectic array of works by artists on Fumi’s roster, among them Jeremy Anderson, JAMESPLUMB, Voukenas Petrides, Kustaa Saksi, Saelia Aparicio, and Jochen Holz. Don’t miss the dazzling showcase while in town for the fair.
“Les Enfants Terribles” is the seventh selling exhibition at Galerie56. Photo: Antoine Bootz
5. “Les Enfants Terribles” at Galerie56 | New York
Curated in collaboration with gallerist Jacques Lacoste, the latest show at Galerie56, which was founded by architect Lee F. Mindel, spotlights rare collectible furnishings from the so-called “holy terrors” of 20th-century French design, among them Jean Royère, Serge Mouille, and Alexandre Noll. Between the 1920s and the ’50s, these luminaries were all able to make their mark on the design world with avant-garde designs and unexpected methods, some of which are examined here. On view until April 26, the exhibition takes its title from the 1929 novel and subsequent 1950 film, but also echoes Mindel and Jacques’s shared love for pioneering design that has defined much of their legacies.
A bronze table by Rich Mnisi. Photo: Southtern Guild
6. “Dzuvula” at Southern Guild | Cape Town, South Africa
The ferocious beauty of a snake provides ample inspiration for South African fashion designer Rich Mnisi, whose latest series of bronze furnishings is now on view in Southern Guild’s new show, “Dzuvula (Shedding Skin).” The dazzling body of work— which includes a table, chandelier, and Tibetan wool and silk rug—reflects growing into oneself, a theme Mnisi explores through a vocabulary of fluid forms and glimmering patinas. On view through April 18, the works in the show were brought to life in part by collaborating with various artists and artisans including Charles Haupt, Monkeybiz, and PACO, aligning with the gallery’s commitment to promoting local craft and handwork.
Cover: From California With Love, exhibition view.
Photo: Benjamin Baccarani/courtesy of Carpenters Workshop Gallery
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