What I Loved from Design Miami 2021
Covid may have gotten in the way of last years Art Basel, but stayed relatively far from this years. Woo!
Growing up in Miami Beach, attending Art Basel has been a tradition for as long as I can remember. I have vivid memories walking around the convention center with my parents wondering how it was possible to fit so much art into one space. I was always fascinated by the crowds, the curation of each room, and of course, the art itself. Though I didn’t understand the value of art back then, art and design are what I am most passionate about today. It’s almost crazy to think that I used to go to Basel every year knowing very little about art and artists in general to now knowing almost any piece you put in front of me. It is a time of year as well as an experience I always look forward to and enjoy greatly.
Not only was I able to experience the art side of the annual festivities, but the furniture and design side as well. And this was no average furniture….this was as if art had been turned into furniture. For those that are not aware, Design miami is all about bringing together the most influential collectors, gallerists, designers, curators, and critics from around the world to celebrate design culture and commerce. The goal is to display objects, textures, and artifacts that challenge design narratives. And this years pieces did exactly that!
I’ve highlighted below the pieces that stuck out to me most as well as some info about each piece – For those that didn’t get a chance to see this in person, I hope you’ll be able to experience it vicariously through the photos and stories below.
London based Bohinc Studio for Design Miami – Function mixed with modernity form the roots of founder Lara Bohin’s contemporary design practice, feeding an obsession with deconstruction and reconfiguration of geometric forms, expressed through quality materials. Her signature look is a mix of contradictions: bold yet light, graphic yet fluid, angular yet feminine.
Disco ball chair by Rachel Shillander for Design Miami – The chair is a hollow, thin-concrete monocoque shell, formed over an inflatable mold and covered in 30,000 individually handset mirror tiles.
The Bedroom, designed by Harry Nuriev of Crosby Studios for Design Miami – A silver bedroom installation featuring a Ryokan-style mattress situated within a zen-like cube. The installation is the latest in the designer’s recent explorations of transitory spaces that serve as metaphors for “traveling through different layers of space, reality, and consciousness”—a theme found in much of Nuriev’s work, which often blends material, virtual and augmented realities.
Table based on a car crash by Studio Job. It is described as an “explicit reaction” to “explicit times” – presented by New York’s Chamber gallery for Design Miami
Rogan Gregory (R & Company) for Design Miami – Inspired by the ways in which elements and the continuum of time shape our world, Gregory meditates on line and proportion to achieve incongruous balance and asymmetrical harmony, ultimate truths in nature.
Atus collection by BEA Interiors in collaboration with @grupo_arca for Design Miami – Blurring the boundaries between sculptural and functional design, Bea Pernia is known for her ability to push the limits of materials in unique and thought provoking ways while developing organic forms. By merging materials into structured pieces, her purpose is to transmit a harmonious and positive environment.
Last but not least, these stunning Pierre Jeanneret pair of “upholstered easy” lounge chairs – presented by Magen H Gallery for Design Miami