After 20 years as the leading fair in collectible design, Design Miami/ hits Hollywood with its inaugural Los Angeles edition, which will open for member previews May 16.
As the institution’s fourth iteration, after Miami, Basel, and most recently Paris, Design Miami/ LA presents a bold West Coast vision for the global platform. Last year’s Design Miami/ Paris staged its quarters in L’Hôtel des Maisons, a sprawling 11,000 square-foot mansion in Saint-Germain-des-Prés formerly owned by the late Karl Lagerfeld. Taking inspiration from this residential setting, the first LA edition will be held at the 1936 Jay Paley house built by architect Paul R. Williams, who designed homes for entertainment mainstays Frank Sinatra and Lucille Ball.
The palatial Georgian Colonial Revival—clocking in at 30,000 square feet across three distinct structures—more than doubles the space for galleries to present, staging works in the expansive bedrooms and against picture windows emblematic of the city as design destination. Curatorial Director Ashlee Harrison’s Podium exhibition—entitled “Master Works of Collectible Design, 1938-Present”—will draw on Hollywood’s golden era, further blending the city’s legacy with its current cultural significance.
Below, CULTURED highlights the six must-see booths at the staple-in-the-making that is Design Miami/ LA.
No stranger to a residential concept, the New York-based gallery will create a direct dialogue between the glamorous setting and the work contained therein. Presenting a collaboration from artist Genesis Belanger and Bower Studios titled “The Space Between Certainty”, The Future Perfect will display “curtain mirrors”—including a mirrored archway—with hands pulling back the fabric on either side, evoking the tension of an impending performance. The tongue-in-cheek text of Eric Roinestad and evocative Mafafa Club Chair of Chris Wolston round out this exciting room.
Though the Cape Town-based gallery just opened a second outpost in Melrose Hill this past February, Southern Guild is staying true to its mission of highlighting the work of artists from the African continent and diaspora. Its presentation will present its own unmistakable perspective, directly contrasting the rest of the fair: Zanele Muholi’s arresting portraiture, Porky Hefer’s cartoonish animal structures, and Zizipho Poswa’s striking large-scale sculptures are just a few of the delights that await attendees.
What could be better than one LA-based studio? Three, coming together to put their works in conversation. Known for highlighting overlooked yet key narrative currents within the art world, bicoastal gallery Friedman Benda will put forth a cadre of innovative artists, including three that currently call LA home: the self-taught Carmen D’Appollonio, the sustainability-focused Darren Romanelli, and the dynamic duo Farrell Hundley. The showcase will also see British designer Samuel Ross and Dutch designer Joris Laarman presenting work in LA for the first time. This eclectic mix is sure to celebrate the diverse and dramatic perspectives coming out of and into the artistic hub.
Dubbed “the world’s leading Nakashima dealer,” Moderne Gallery will display never-before-seen works by the late West Coast-born architect and furniture designer, along with a crowning achievement from Pennsylvania-based artist Miriam Carpenter. The Philadelphia gallery will spotlight Nakashima’s Single-Board Dining Table and Special Single-Board Cabinet, among other designs from the late father of the American craft movement.
Embracing a more low-key approach to the ornate setting, the gallery’s showcase brings together works that mix unrefined materials with deft craftsmanship. The Pitkä-Kotka Chair designed by Kustaa Saksi is both spare and intricate, its square oak frame wrapped in a woven blue paper. Francesco Perini’s Incontro Low Table creates the rings of an oak tree with black and gold marble, while Sam Orlando Miller’s Rosa Luna mirrors recall a ghosting sun. It’s nature at its most opulent, bringing the richness of the outdoors to the interior set.
Committed to both preserving traditions and predicting new notables, the New York-based gallery will put forth a showing that combines work from late-great artists of the 20th century with that of emerging ones. Taking a West Coast-focused approach, Joaquim Tenreiro’s 1960 Set of ten (10) dining chairs will sit alongside Joyce Lin’s recent Exploded Chair, intending to spur a stirring conversation about the future of the industry. Work from Hun Chung Lee, Jolie Ngo, Katie Stout, Roberto Lugo, and Rogan Gregory will capture the timelessness of the talent.
