The Artful Life: 7 Things Galerie Editors Love This Week

1. Charleston, South Carolina, Welcomes Chic New Hotel, The Nickel

With its vibrant community of creative artisans, innovative food scene, and hip art and design spaces, Charleston, South Carolina, is quickly becoming a must-visit U.S. destination for cultural connoisseurs. Now, those making the pilgrimage have a cool new hub perfectly located on buzzy King Street, a major thoroughfare populated with some of the most irresistible restaurants, shops, and bars in town. Designed by New York studio, Morris Adjmi Architects, the Nickel Hotel captures the distinct historical flavor of the city with ornate ironwork punctuating the classic facade, an European marble mosaic embellishing the lobby, and herringbone wood floor in the lounge (a sultry spot crafted for perusing the hotel’s collection of vinyl). Sumptuous guests suites feature cozy interiors by Method Studios that combine custom furnishings with design-forward accents by Gubi, House of Hackney, and Nordic Knots. Private balconies overlook the action on King Street or the tranquil hotel courtyard where traditional gas lanterns illuminate a romantic tiered fountain and lush greenery. Guests can also take in the picturesque 360-views from rooftop restaurant Rosemary Rose or enjoy mouthwatering meals or late night cocktails at second-floor lounge Bar Daniel. With its covetable address, the Nickel is the ideal spot for those looking to sample the most Charleston has to offer while giving visitors plenty of tantalizing reasons to stay in.—Jill Sieracki

2. Tiffany & Co. Unveils Striking New Flagship Boutique in Ginza, Japan

More than a retail space, Tiffany & Co.’s monumental new flagship boutique in Ginza, Japan, is a masterclass in the seamless fusion of design, art, and heritage. Drawing inspiration from The Landmark, the jeweler’s iconic Fifth Avenue flagship in New York, Tiffany Ginza is set to become a new destination for those who appreciate high-design and rare jewels in an immersive, artful setting. The first impression is undeniably striking. Conceived by leading Japanese architect Jun Aoki, the 66-meter-high Tiffany Blue building features a captivating, wave-like glass façade. This innovative rippling design is an homage to Louis Comfort Tiffany’s wisteria lamps, blending the House’s rich legacy with the beauty of the natural world. Inside, visitors are immediately enveloped in the rarefied atmosphere of the Tiffany universe, with striking interiors by legendary architect Peter Marino.

As Tiffany & Co.’s largest location in Asia, spanning over 2,540 square meters, the store celebrates the brand’s enduring connection to Japan at each turn. Dotted throughout the space is a curated collection of over 50 artworks, featuring pieces by both acclaimed Japanese artists like Susumu Kamijo and international luminaries such as Julian Schnabel, Damien Hirst, Michelangelo Pistoletto, Vik Muniz, Richard Prince, Donald Judd and more. There are also nearly 65 masterworks from The Tiffany Archives–half of which are making their debut in Japan–on display, underscoring the brand’s almost two centuries of history and deep connections to the country. –Lucy Rees

3. An Immersive Exhibition in Paris Celebrates Legendary Fashion Designer Paul Poiret

The Musée des Arts Décoratifs invites visitors to journey into the world of Paul Poiret, the legendary designer who solidified his place in history as a liberator of the female body by removing the corset and revolutionizing fashion. “Paul Poiret: Fashion is a Feast,” offers an immersive experience that follows his beginnings as an apprentice in several fashion houses to his trainings under Jacques Doucet, to when he joined Worth house in 1901, and then later opened his own fashion house in 1903. Curated by Marie-Sophie Carron de la Carrière and designed by PAF studio under Anette Lenz, the exhibition features over 550 extraordinary works spanning fashion and accessories to decorative arts, perfume, and party costumes. “Paul Poiret: Fashion is a Feast,” is on view through January 11, 2026.—Alexandria Sillo

4. Surrenne Opens a State-of-the-Art Wellness Facility at the Maybourne Riviera

Looking out from the cliffs at the Maybourne Riviera over Roquebrune-Cap-Martin and Monaco, one is immediately taken aback by the unimaginable beauty and filled with the feeling of “if only this could last forever.” Now that the pioneering wellness club and spa Surrenne has opened on the property delivering cutting-edge longevity stays and treatments, life could certainly last much longer. Far from being a traditional hotel spa, Surrenne Riviera offers protocols led by some of the world’s leading minds in dermatology, fitness, nutrition, and sleep that provide guests with a pathway to emotional and physical improvements backed by science. The three-floor experience, designed by Michelle Wu, global head of design at Maybourne, looks to the property’s staggering vistas to inform the design, resulting in an immersive space that brings together sea and sky. Like its sister property at the Emory in London, Surrenne Riviera has a limited number of memberships as well—for those who want to visit again and again.—Jacqueline Terrebonne

5. An Exciting New Gallery in Los Angeles Reimagines the Ashtray 

The ashtray becomes more than a symbol of vice in “Smokeshow,” a group show at West Hollywood’s newly opened So-Too gallery (8271 Beverly Blvd) until July 17 that explores the object’s role as a site of ritual and connection. Gallery founder Lauren Thompson is aiming to reframe the objects as an altar for gathering and reflection—everyday items with the power to encourage presence—by asking artists and designers like Lucas Zito, Alex Proba, Marquel Williams, Roham Shamekh, Jonathan Cross, and Matt Gagnon to create one-of-a-kind ashtrays for the show. Smoking may be associated with disconnection, Thompson notes, but “it brings people together and offers moments of connection, reflection, and the kind of pause we don’t do nearly enough. We’ve been taught to see it as a vice or an escape, but in reality, it can also be a portal, a moment to check in, to gather, to breathe,” she says. “That’s the energy this show holds.” It also speaks to So-Too’s wider mission to transcend typical white-wall formats with multisensory programming designed to relax and bring people together. —Ryan Waddoups

6. Actress Mary-Louise Parker and Producer Nikki Gillingham Launch Platform Supporting Women Artists

While actress Mary-Louise Parker has garnered acclaim for her powerful women characters including her Emmy-nominated role in Weeds and the Golden Globe-winning Angels in America, she’s also been immersed in other genres of art, collecting works by painter Jules Olitski and photography by Sebastião Salgado, Elliott Erwitt, Lillian Bassman, and more. Now, she’s teamed up with television producer Nikki Varhely Gillingham for a namesake gallery representing established and emerging women artists. “Our mission is rooted in emotional connection and creative integrity, and every piece on our site reflects the hand, heart, and perspective of a singular artist,” says Parker.

Amongst Parker + Gillingham’s assortment of original works and limited-edition prints are dreamy abstract paintings by Jennifer Baker, visually arresting images by Nooshin Rostami, Old Masters-like canvases by Joan Hooker, and monoprints by Beth Herman Adler, as well as artisanal home goods like Joanna Kramer ceramics, Monica Broderick Wave baskets, and fiber art by Robin Ryan. Additionally, a percentage of each sale goes to a nonprofit chosen by the respective artists. “For collectors and designers seeking work with soul and substance, we offer a fresh and meaningful way to buy art,” states Varhely Gillingham.—J.S.

7. North America’s Largest Japanese Film Festival Returns for 18th Edition

This year, “Japan Cuts: Festival of New Japanese Films” returns to showcase 30 films over 11 days, with a lineup that includes several world premieres. Categorized into four dynamic sections, the festival will welcome prominent actors and filmmakers, including Kiyoshi Kurosawa, who will be presented with the 2025 Cut Above Award for Outstanding Achievement in Film. “We’re deeply proud to celebrate Japanese film in the heart of New York City,” says Peter Tatara, Japan Society Film Programmer and this year’s festival organizer. “Each year, ‘Japan Cuts’ presents a look into the contemporary Japanese cinema scene, spotlighting both major award-winners as well as rising stars, and we hope this festival helps build bridges between film lovers in New York and filmmakers in Japan—and more broadly between our two countries—with film a tremendous snapshot into modern Japan’s culture, values and soul.” The festival runs now through July 20.—A.S.