The Artful Life: 7 Things Galerie Editors Love This Week

1. Ralph Pucci Announces “Made in L.A.” Exhibition Celebrating Local Artists

Ralph Pucci is bringing together local artists Julie Ling, John Wigmore, Amy Dov, and Marjorie Salvaterra for the “Made in L.A.” exhibition in a celebration of the city’s thriving art scene. Ling’s four-panel, large-scale mural “The Occulting Light” welcomes visitors to the exhibition in what the illustrator describes as a “love letter to Los Angeles.” “I am putting flowers on everything that hurts,” says Ling, whose ever-present floral motifs act as symbols of resilience. The exhibition, debuting April 24, represents “continuing our commitment to pushing the boundaries of creativity,” says Pucci.—Alexandria Sillo

2. Polène Collaborates with Roísín Pierce on Exceptional Latticework Bags

Buzzy French accessories house Polène has collaborated with an outside designer for the first time, and the results could not be more poetic. Working with Irish fashion designer Róisín Pierce, known for her artisanal collections that explore the intricacy and beauty of traditional Irish craft, Polène has launched two exquisite bags: Button Bow Box and Button Bow Sphere. Crafted in Ubrique, Spain, from Dutch nappa calfskin, the bags are equal parts accessory and art object with their skillful, handstitched latticework. –Jacqueline Terrebonne

3. Rachel Cope Debuts Dreamlike Paintings at Massey Klein Gallery

Many know Rachel Cope as one of the creative forces behind Calico Wallpaper, the Brooklyn- and Ghent, New York–based studio whose painterly wall coverings practically elevate the medium to fine art. Perhaps fewer are familiar with her equally compelling artistic practice, in which she wields intricate techniques to render dreamlike visuals that dissolve the boundaries between reality and illusion. Her first solo exhibition at Massey Klein Gallery, called “Realms Beyond the Visible,” draws from her background studying art therapy and the esoteric philosophies of Rudolf Steiner to explore these shifting boundaries. Working in acrylic and pencil on clay-coated panels, she layers translucent washes of pigment over finely drawn lines to create spectral landscapes that emit their own inner light. She manages to make everyday motifs like dwellings and birds feel both familiar and otherworldly thanks to iridescent surfaces that shift with changing perspectives, imbuing each with a sense of presence and impermanence. “Realms Beyond the Visible” will be on view at Massey Klein Gallery (124 Forsyth St, New York) from April 26–June 7. —Ryan Waddoups

4. Jeremiah Brent Introduces First Rug Collection with Loloi

The layered interiors conceived by Jeremiah Brent have earned the designer legions of fans for their inspired layering of textural neutrals, expressive stones, and creative accents. This week, Brent introduced his first collection of rugs with Loloi, and naturally, the assortment is resplendent with the earthy palette, gentle patterns, and tactile weaves that have become hallmarks of his celebrated style. Named for the chic streets around his tony New York City neighborhood, the assortment of 20 rugs include the Barrow collection, a hand-tufted floor covering of wool and jute with striking geometries, as well as the Greenwich, a subtle design in rich shades of ivory, sage, rust, merlot, and more. The collaboration also includes Bleecker and Perry Collection rugs and an array of complimentary pillows in matching hues. It’s an exciting week for the designer, who will also be honored alongside partner Nate Berkus and Alessandra Branca at Housing Works’ annual Design on a Dime fundraiser.—Jill Sieracki

5. Restaurant Flore in Amsterdam Reopens with Striking New Design and Menu

Restaurant Flore, the celebrated two-Michelin-starred destination led by Chef Bas van Kranen, has officially reopened at Hotel De L’Europe Amsterdam this month. Stepping into a new era, Flore presents a stunning transformation with a design by Reiters-Wings that perfectly embodies its “Conscious Fine Dining” ethos, utilizing pioneering carbon-negative materials to create a space that beautifully blends the old-world grandeur of De L’Europe into a natural, organic world. With a Michelin Green Star, van Kranen is on a mission to redefine fine dining through a deep connection to Dutch micro-seasonality. His kitchen foregoes traditional luxury for hyper-local produce with a focus on sustainable seafood and foraged elements. Every dish celebrates the purity and origin of ingredients, supported by an innovative R&D kitchen. —Lucy Rees

6. Colony Presents Its Third Annual Designer’s Residency Program

In 2023, Colony founder Jean Lin and art director Madeleine Parsons debuted a first-of-its-kind designer residency. The incubator, which provided an intensive eight-month learning program focused on design entrepreneurship and product development, aimed to introduce rising American makers to the global market and bolster their success in an industry often fraught with high barriers to entry. The first two editions culminated in an exhibition at Colony’s gallery in Tribeca as well as being added to its roster of independent design talents. “The residency has been some of the most fruitful and rewarding work of my career,” says Lin. She recently unveiled this year’s residents, including Youtian Duan and Yingxi Ji of Another.World, Blake C. Joshua of Studio B.C. Joshua, and Maxwell Taylor-Milner of MTM Studio. 

Another.World’s imaginative creations often appear plucked straight from dreams, comprising a love seat where two chairs snuggling intimately into one another, a cloud-shaped cabinet adorned with handmade fish tiles, and a concave mirror clock in which time runs backward. Studio B.C. Joshua drew from the rich cabin culture of his native Minnesota to create the seven-piece Harlem Cottage collection, which considers what furniture inspired by African American history might look like through three seating concepts that balance the rough and the refined. MTM Studio’s inventive furnishings, meanwhile, dial into traditional forms and Taylor-Milner’s time working at the Chinati Foundation in Marfa, Texas. Each piece of the three-part Recent Relics collection highlights a single material’s most defining properties, most vividly seen in the luminosity of cast resin in an effervescent lamp. The residents will be on view at Colony (196 West Broadway, New York) until April 30. —R.W.

7. Dobel Tequila Unveils Limited Edition “Grandes Maestros Collection” Featuring Work of Late Artist Francisco Toledo

Dobel Tequila has introduced the first highly coveted and rare spirit from its “Dobel Grandes Maestros Collection” featuring the work of late artist Francisco Toledo. “Dobel Grandes Mestros Collection: The Francisco Toledo Edition” is an ultra-limited release featuring the world’s first Extra Añejo tequila finished in mezcal barrels. The bottle is encased in a sculptural masterpiece personally designed by Toledo in 2019.  “Francisco and I shared a deep passion for Mexico and its culture, which we reflected through art and tequila,” says Juan Dobel, founder of Dobel Tequila. “El Maestro and I envisioned a timeless art piece, one that would transcend conventional expectations and become an object that embodied Toledo’s artistic principles and exceptional craftsmanship while showcasing Dobel’s commitment to tequila excellence and innovation.” One of the only 15 bottles available in the U.S. is being auctioned on Artnet through April 29. The remaining bottles are available through select luxury retailers.—A.S.