The Artful Life: 7 Things Galerie Editors Love This Week

1. L’Objet Debuts New Tableware Collection with South African Artist Ruan Hoffmann

Founded by designer and creative visionary Elad Yifrach, L’Objet established itself for its artfully expressive tableware, glassware, and home accents as well as its powerful collaborations with genre luminaries like the Haas Brothers and Kelly Behun. On January 16 in Paris, the maison introduces its latest collection, made in conjunction with South African contemporary artist Ruan Hoffmann. Working in earthenware, Hoffmann crafts plates in borderline abstract shapes, their graphic patterns revealing politically charged verbiage. For L’Objet—which is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2025—Hoffmann’s pieces are more cheeky than confrontational, although their stellar use of bold palettes and patterns is implemented to dynamic effect, here enhanced with the brand’s signature touches of 24k gold. When the pieces are available to the public starting February 6, connoisseurs will gravitate to the Art Plates with hand-placed multidimensional ribbons reading Wifi Off or Love You More, while the origami-inspired illustration animating the Couple Bowl adds visual panache. Tongue-in-cheek fragrances such as the Burning Desire candle and I Can Still Smell You diffuser as well as an assortment of plates and mugs with pointed language round out the array. “Whenever we collaborated with other designers or artists, we trusted their intuition, which has always led to something special,” says Yifrach. “This collection is no exception and brings a new twist to our humorous-filled craft.”—Jill Sieracki

2. A Brooklyn Farm-to-Table Restaurant Teems With Upstate Flavors

Chef Tim Meyers spent years refining his culinary chops at some of the country’s most decorated restaurants: Eleven Madison Park, Roberta’s, and Charlie Bird among them. After a mentorship with Michelin-starred Chef John Fraser, he finally breaks out on his own with Field Guide, an intimate new modern-American restaurant on a tony stretch of Kent Avenue in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Outdoor sensations weave their way into just about every element of the Field Guide experience, from the Mammoth-designed candlelit dining room whose linen-covered tables and stoic wooden chairs evoke an Andrew Wyeth painting to the farm-to-table concept informing the menu. Paying homage to the flavors of Central New York where Meyers grew up, it runs the gamut from inventive appetizers like Hokkaido Scallops (matsutake broth, turnip purée, bottarga, toasted hazelnut) to hearty entrées like roast chicken with a tarragon duck fat dumpling. 

Meander back to the bar and wash them down with cheeky ingredient-forward cocktails like No Cash, No Credit, No Job History (mezcal, blood orange) and I Like to Be an Optimist (lapsang, tomato, chile, chocolate) or a robust selection of international wines by sommelier Mackenzie Khosla. Look closely—the flamed limestone bar is topped with a glassy, hand-chiseled resin inspired by Hiroshi Sugimoto’s ethereal staircase at the Go’o Shrine on Naoshima Island, creating a prism effect as light dances overhead. Backdropping the counter is a 17-foot-long still life mural depicting objects that hold personal meaning for Meyers, like “fresh fruits, dried plants, and an ethereal galactic purple poppy bloom fading into darkness,” he tells Galerie. “But I hope a guest’s enjoyment doesn’t rely on knowing what they mean to me.” —Ryan Waddoups

3. Artist Alexandre Benjamin Navet Debuts a Feast of an Exhibition in Paris

Multidisciplinary artist Alexandre Benjamin Navet brings a bright burst of color to the cold January days with his new exhibition at Galerie Derouillon, Étienne Marcel, in Paris. Titled “L’Invitation,” the show explores the gestures of hospitality and friendly exchanges that make up a dinner party. For the artworks, Navet applies his signature pastels to cut-out pieces of wood and layers them to create dimension. “A few days after the holidays and their lavish meals, I invite the viewer to the table,” says the artist. “A theater of conversations, the table and its everyday objects take the form of wooden trompe-l’œil pieces, offering surprises and sometimes dramatic twists.” While this technique was inspired by his own large-scale scenography projects, the paintings evoke the poignant intimacy of lingering at the table with friends. Definitely worth RSVPing to.—Jacqueline Terrebonne

4. In Tribeca, a Curated Playground of Joyously Minimalist Furniture

Since setting up shop on the Greenpoint waterfront in 2023, the design gallery Forom has cultivated an enviable roster of thoughtfully crafted home furniture and accessories from such esteemed global design brands as Arflex, Frama, and Audo. Beyond embodying qualities of comfortable minimalism, Forom’s offerings are united in their respect for materials and techniques endemic to the regions in which they’re produced. This inherent variation is being celebrated at a Tribeca pop-up called “Aire De Jeux,” the French expression for “playground,” which whimsically arrays the diversity of must-haves in a spontaneous curation meant to spark excitement. The products range from monolithic marble pedestals and hand-carved wooden furniture to teddy bears and checkerboards for that extra nostalgia factor. Joining the assortment is Forom’s latest white-label collection, Nature Revisited, which reimagines the fundamental forms and innate equilibrium of the outdoors into sculptural furniture in enduring materials like marble and solid wood. One standout is the Marea Lounge Chair, a polished stainless steel statement piece whose undulating shape evokes the graceful ebbs and flows of water. The pop-up will be on view at 52 Walker Street until Saturday, January 18. —R.W.

5. Artist Nikki Maloof Teams Up with Hermès for Capsule Scarf Collection

Known for bringing vibrancy into sometimes mundane spaces such as kitchens, living rooms, or even the great outdoors, artist Nikki Maloof has teamed up with fashion house Hermès for an especially artistic take on the fashion house’s classic 90 scarf. Available in three colorways of blue, green, and yellow, the Perrotin artist’s vision channels the essence of a Spring picnic, where her classic depictions of food, fish, and florals merge into one chic accessory perfect for a night out on the town or a bit of flair to wear around the house. This new fashion staple is available either online or in an Hermès store near you. — Shelby Black

6. A Sultry Cocktail Bar Opens in Mexico City

Located in the bustling neighborhood Coyoacán, swanky new watering hole Carmin channels the vibrancy of Mexico City alongside an assortment of mixed mediums which the region is known for. Conceptualized by Maye Estudio, principals Maye Ruiz and Yamil Slim drew inspiration from 1970s Italian horror film Suspiria for the moody blue and red color palette, where venetian mosaic tiles of the same color pair with pops of green stucco to give even more character and bold flair to the space. The spaced out seating allows for guests to conversate over the assortment of libations available such as their Clover Club cocktail made of gin, raspberry, lemon and egg white. — S.B.

7. Heimtextil Kicks Off New Trade Fair Year with Over 3,000 Exhibitions from 65 Countries

Star designer and architect Patricia Urquiola set the stage for three days of innovation and collaboration at Heimtextil 2025 in Frankfurt on Tuesday. At the trade fair’s opening press conference, Urquiola presented her installation “among-us,” featuring products specifically made for Heimtextil. On view and embedded in the installation were pieces designed to inspire holistic approaches to living areas that seamlessly merge materiality and versatility, such as a hanging carpet created by the traditional dhurrie technique. “‘among-us’ is a convivial and intuitive textile installation that shows the evolving possibilities of textiles, exploring their hybrid potentials across various scales—from product design to one/off pieces,” explains Urquiola. “The title, ‘among-us’, refers to the concept of being together and reflects the intent of the installation to celebrate hybrid new relations.”

In addition to Urquiola’s work, the fair features over 3,000 exhibitors from 65 countries, setting the course for the future of textile interior design. “The steady growth and the very high level of internationality confirm the strength of Heimtextil. As leading international trade fair for home and contract textiles and textile design, it is an indispensable partner for the global industry—this is more important today than ever before,” says Detlef Braun, Member of the Executive Board of Messe Frankfurt. “Especially in challenging times, Heimtextil offers companies the opportunity to strengthen their market position: through international visibility, the identification and realization of potential and the development of new global business partners.”—Alexandria Sillo