Art Week in Miami is Back
Author:Lindsey ShookThe energy that surrounds global art, design and fashion was back and in a big way during the return of Art Week in Miami. Thousands of creatives and several of the world’s most notable minds gathered throughout the city to share, create and celebrate new work as well as pay tribute to fashion icon, Virgil Abloh. With so much happening it was overwhelming to attend and see it all, however, here we share select standouts that left a lasting impression.
HUE+Man Design Competition: Culture Sculpture Exhibit and design by Kevin Jones of Joba Studio
At Design Miami USM Modular furniture introduced Hue + Man, a design competition to create an exhibit designed in collaboration with Kevin Jones of Joba Studio. Winners Margaret Waiyego Zollinger, Peter Mukhaye and Amukelani Mathebule, worked with jones to develop Culture Sculpture, an exploration of the myriad ways contemporary culture is shaped by the diverse hands that produce it, by using USM’s iconic forms.
Studio Visit by Southern Guild – (California Home+Design’s 2021 BEST IN SHOW)
By far one of the standouts at Design Miami was the Studio Visit show curated by Southern Guild gallery. Based in South Africa, the exhibition of ceramics was specifically commissioned for the fair, from four of the country’s most accomplished artists working in clay including Zizipho Poswa, Andile Dyalvane, Chuma Maweni and Madoda Fani.
French-based gallery Ateliers Courbet introduced a stunning collection of limited-edition work from various artists united by the theme—Topographic Memories. The pieces were a result of an in-depth dialogue between Navot, Ateliers Saint-Jacques, and Fonderie de Coubertin, the centuries-old French workshops, that carry on the crafts of stone carving and metalsmithing.
Brooklyn-based lighting and furniture company Pelle Designs unveiled the Nana Lure chandelier, a botanical-inspired design constructed of hand-sculpted cast-cotton painted leaves.
Kohler x Arsham Rock.01 by Daniel Arsham
At Design Miami, Kohler unveiled Rock.01, a limited edition sink designed by world-renowned artist Daniel Arsham. Made of 3D-printed vitreous china and hand-poured brass, the design was inspired by the concept of time which was evident in the base’s patina finish.
Tom Dixon MASS by Design Reach Studio
Tom Dixon presented a selection of new pieces, created during the height of the pandemic, from three collections; the made-to-measure MASS collection, a family of super polished solid brass tables, coat and book stands CODE, Tom Dixon’s LED structure collaboration with Prolicht and HYDRO, Tom Dixon’s 100% recyclable aluminum chair.
BADG’s Blackouflage Collector’s Lounge
The Black Artists + Designers Guild (BADG) designed an imaginative collector’s lounge inside Design Miami 2021 that constructed a creative space for the further expansion of individual Black expression. Presented by AIG Private Client Group, the creative direction was lead by BADG Makers; Danielle Fennoy of Revamp Interior Design and Leyden Lewis of Leyden Lewis Design Studio.
Conrad Egyir at Jessica Silverman
Once again Jessica Silverman made a lasting impression inside Art Basel with the debut of work by Ghanaian artist Condrad Egyir. The most expansive piece, 700 Cycles of Somatic Renditioning is Conrad Egyir’s references folklore artists such as Charles White and Faith Ringgold and the historic Ashanti traditions in Ghana.
700 Cycles of Somatic Renditioning, 2021
Oil, acrylic, mounted wood on canvas
Overall: 84 x 240 inches / 213.4 x 609.6 cms
Sophia Narrett at KOHN Gallery
At Art Basel, L.A.-based KOHN Gallery presented an array of diverse work but artist Sophia Narrett’s intricately weaved pieces took our breathe away. The traditional embroidery technique combined with stories that explore the freedom and restraints of femininity create a beautiful tension of modern expression through historic craft.
Cornelius Tulloch
Miami-based artist Cornelius Tulloch showed his artistic range with a presentation of work at Le Art Noir fair in Liberty City. From painting to photography and collages, the multi-disciplinary artist sheds light on the extraction of Black culture as well as symbols of Caribbean culture through exquisite composition and color.
