The Artful Life: 5 Things Galerie Editors Love This Week
From dazzling public artworks at Newark Liberty Airport to the reopening of Milan’s legendary Sant Ambroeus
1. Striking Artworks by Layqa Nuna Yawar and Karyn Olivier Transform Newark Liberty International Airport
Travelers to Newark Liberty International Airport have more than just their upcoming trip to look forward to thanks to two permanent artworks by Layqa Nuna Yawar and Karyn Olivier. The unique project is a collaboration between New York’s Public Art Fund, the Port Authority, and Munich Airport NJ, operating Newark’s new arrivals and departures hall. Olivier, an artist based in Philadelphia who is known for work that merges multiple histories and collective memory with present day narratives, created a spatially dynamic installation that beautifully captures the spirit of flight as it cascades down from above. Layqa Nuna Yawar, a muralist living in Newark, conceived a sweeping mural spanning 350 feet of the arrivals hall, inspired by the layers of history and community of Newark and New Jersey. Also on view throughout are works by 27 local artists, chosen from more than 160 submissions. “When a major new airport terminal not only brilliantly serves its function but also captures the unique spirit of a place, it becomes a truly civic space,” said Nicholas Baume, artistic & executive director of Public Art Fund. —Lucy Rees
2. Artfully Curated E-Commerce Platform Abask Launches with a Global Array of Goods
Holiday shopping just got a little easier with the recent debut of Abask, a sophisticated e-commerce site with more than 2,000 global goods from 165 artisan brands. Launched by Tom Chapman and Nicolas Pickaerts, with renowned UK designer Hubert Zandberg serving as Global Style Director, Abask curates covetable pieces by highly sought after makers and studios like Alexandra Llewellyn, Rose Uniacke, Laboratorio Paravicini, and Zoë de Givenchy, among others. Collected into residential spaces—dining room, the study, games room, and bar—or sorted by aesthetics such as bohemian, modernist, classic, and minimalist, Abask brings together wondrous glassware, incredible marquetry board games, and enchanting desk objets from some of the design world’s favorite brands with irresistible treasures just waiting to be discovered. —Jill Sieracki
3. Sant Ambroeus Returns to Original Milan Location
A staple in New York City’s restaurant industry, Milanese restaurant Sant Ambroeus has officially returned to its roots in Milan. Set in the same location as the 1936 original, just steps away from the city’s famed Teatro La Scala, the long-awaited reopening is a testament to the team’s dedication in providing chic dining as well as personal history. Plans for the reopening were spearheaded by Gateano Guarducci, Vice President of Business Development and Operations, who oversaw the renovation of the restaurant and tapped architect Fabrizio Casiraghi to design the space. He responded by deploying material palette that included rich wooden paneling, mosaics, and stone to honor the building’s deep history.
The menu is crafted by Chef Iacopo Falai, who will offer Sant Ambroeus classics such as Cotoletta alla Milanese and Spaghetti al Pomodoro alongside new dishes created specifically for this new location including Linguine al Prezzemolo, Bisque di gamberi, and others. —Shelby Black
4. Artist Roe Ethridge Releases American Polychronic Monograph
Roe Ethridge’s newest monograph, published by MACK, American Polychronic showcases the photographer’s unique and subversive visual language. The 480-page catalogue raisonné spans over two decades of the artist’s archives—from intimate still lifes to major Tiffany & Co. campaigns. Influenced by artists such as Andy Warhol and Irving Penn, Ethridge’s photographs toe the line between commercial and conceptual. In this extensive survey, artistic and personal work are interwoven with commercial projects of fashion models, products, and advertisements to create a complex visual essay. —Stefanie Li
5. L’Objet Opens Madison Avenue Boutique
The Upper East Side has a new design destination with the opening of L’Objet’s chic storefront on Madison Avenue. Offering a bevy of the luxury house’s best-selling home accents, dinnerware, and fragrances, the shop features a sophisticated material palette of terrazzo, suede, travertine, and Cedar wood. (The interior is a collaboration between interior architecture agency Rigos Mills, L’Objet founder Elad Yifrach, and his in-house team.) Notably, the space also includes bespoke pieces by Brooklyn-based designer Sourabh Gupta and Portuguese ceramist Bela Silva. “We wanted this space to be an immersive touchpoint for our customer, where they can get an intimate experience immersing themselves into the world of L’Objet,” said Yifrach in a statement. —Geoffrey Montes