Fogo in Paris.
Photo: Claire Israel
The Artful Life: 5 Things Galerie Editors Love This Week
From Michelin-starred chef Raphael Rego’s new Paris dining destination to The Met’s cashmere capsule collection with White + Warren
Loro Piana Interiors 2024 Collection Hebrides. Photo: Loro Piana
1. Loro Piana Interiors Unveils 2024 Collection
Synonymous with sumptuous fabrics that exude a timeless elegance, Loro Piana Interiors unveiled a fresh collection at the most recent Paris Déco Off, introducing new made-to-measure services that focus on the bedroom, dining room, bath, and the spa zone. Among the luxurious weaves and textures are linen tablecloths, placemats, runners, and napkins, as well as waffle-weave and chenille sablé fabrics blended with cashmere for an extra-cozy touch. In addition to bedding and rugs, there are also new textile offerings: Tweed, created using pure cashmere; a wool-and-linen blend for window treatments; and 23 shades of cotton velvet. “The foundation of our collections is always the textiles, the hallmark of our excellence,” says Francesco Pergamo, director of the Loro Piana Interiors division. “For 2024, with a view towards personalization, we’re focusing on the finest linens and cottons, and of course wherever possible a touch of cashmere, which is the essence of our DNA.” —Geoffrey Montes
Oka in Paris. Photo: Claire Israel
2. Michelin-Starred Chef Raphael Rego Opens Dual Parisian Restaurant Oka Fogo
Using sustainable cuisine as a guiding principle, Michelin-starred chef Raphael Rego has opened the doors of a new dual restaurant concept that’s making waves in Paris. Set within a Haussmannian building in the 17th arrondissement, Oka Foga is indeed two distinct spaces linked via a shared kitchen, although architect Arnaud Behzadi has created synergy between the establishments (which have differing menus) by using evocative materials that pay homage to Rego’s native Brazil. To that end, warm woods dominate both rooms, with large expanses of richly veined marble as well as lighting by Cathy Crinon adding to the allure. But perhaps most eye-catching are the bespoke frescoes by artist Florence Bamberger, who takes cues from Brazilian artist José Francisco Borgès in her work. On the ceiling of Oka, Bamberger’s gestural lines form whimsical scenes depicting Brazilian flora and fauna, while the walls of Fogo feature a brilliant reinterpretation of an Édouard Manet masterpiece. This stylish union between French and Brazilian cultures is sure to leave visitors head over heels. —G.M.
Crocodylus by Wangechi Mutu. Photo: Courtesy of NOMA
3. Wangechi Mutu Presents Solo Show at the New Orleans Museum of Art’s Sculpture Garden
The New Orleans Museum of Art’s Besthoff Sculpture Garden will be transformed next week by artist Wangechi Mutu. A new exhibition will bring together over a hundred sculptures, paintings, collages, drawings, and films to present the breadth of the Kenyan-American artist’s multidisciplinary practice from the mid-1990s to today. Visitors will be able to get insight into Mutu’s decades-long exploration of the legacies of colonialism, globalization, and African and Diasporic cultural traditions. —Lucy Rees
David Michalek on set for SlowDancing/NYCB. Photo: Mark Kornbluth
A still from David Michalek’s SlowDancing/NYCB, of Dominika Afanasenkov of NYCB in Jerome Robbins’ Afternoon of a Faun. Photo: Still by David Michalek
4. New York City Ballet Kicks off 11th Annual Art Series
It’s not uncommon for artists of different medium to combine efforts into one visually astounding effort. And for the past decade the New York City Ballet has committed to the idea, blending graceful dance performances with ethereal and enigmatic installations, like last year’s performative sculpture by Drift, Shylight, that filled the promenade of the David H. Koch Theater with an hypnotic tumble of ghostly blossoms that open and close in response to their environment. This year, the group’s Art Series opens with David Michalek’s video work SlowDancing/NYCB, a compilation of 50 five-second sequences from 30 different ballets, performed by 20 current members of the company, played back a time span stretched to approximately ten minutes. Conceived with Associate Artistic Director Wendy Whelan to mark NYCB’s ongoing 75th anniversary season, the film will be presented on a triptych of screens inside the promenade starting January 23 through March 3. The NYCB will also host Art Series performances on February 3, 8, and 23 with discounted tickets and free open house hours February 17 through 25. This year’s program is just the latest in the NYCB Art Series initiative, which launched in 2013 and has since included collaborations with JR, Dustin Yellin, Shantell Martin, and more. —Jill Sieracki
The Met x White + Warren. Photo: Courtesy of The Met
The Met x White + Warren. Photo: Courtesy of The Met
5. The Met Releases Cashmere Capsule Collection with White + Warren
This month, The Metropolitan Museum of Art has released a limited-edition winter capsule collection with luxury cashmere brand White + Warren, featuring a ten-piece selection of sweaters and accessories inspired by European tapestries in the institutions collection, among them Arms of Greder Family of Solothurn, Switzerland and a 15th century Upper Rhenish textile fragment. In addition to boasting a cozy color palette of beiges, pinks, and navy blues, the museum’s vintage Renaissance M logo is tastefully featured in a selection of the capsule’s hats and scarves. Shop the collection in either The Met’s store or White + Warren’s site. — Shelby Black
Cover: Fogo in Paris.
Photo: Claire Israel
