Author | Christiane Nickel
From Collective 2 Design Fair, WantedDesign NYC, and this week’s ICFF show (International Contemporary Furniture Fair), NYCxDesign is certainly full in bloom throughout New York City. Initially started some years back, this is a large all-encompassing trade fair which features a slew of galleries, artists, and the like. Over the past few years design appreciation has blossomed in American culture permeating through every part of our lives from the furniture we buy or collect to office supplies we covet at work. Stores like Muji and Ikea not only sell furniture but a way of life, a dream and the foundations for various aesthetic disciplines. It’s no wonder that NYCxDesign, a two-week long event, has become such a celebrated part of New York City culture, and as equally comparable to fashion week. After attending a bevy of various events, below is a little compendium of some highlights from Collective 2 and WantedDesign.
COLLECTIVE 2 FEATURES
A newcomer to NYCxDesign, Collective 2 Design Fair is a carefully curated four-day trade fair featuring the 20th century as well as contemporary galleries both nationally and internationally. Below are some highlights from the show filled with optical intrigue rooted in verdant aesthetic dialogues.
Hostler Burrows Gallery, New York, NY
What: Mid-century modern Scandinavian furniture, rugs, and ceramics
Who: Features designers such as Borge Mogensen, Axel Einar Hyorth, and Finjuhl
Notable Pieces: Borge Morgensen, Tique and brass vitrine ca, 1960 (below) inspired by the reductively refined lines characteristic of Scandanavian design.
Wexler Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
What: design gallery featuring glassware and furniture
Who: Andy Paiko, Hilden Diaz, Gerd Rothmann
Bold in their approach, Wexler Gallery is renown for combining artists such as Picasso, Wendell Castle, and Chuck Close.
Modernity – Stockholm, Sweden
Since 1998 Modernity has focused on mid century modern as well as contemporary Scandinavian design.
Presented at the Paris World Fair in 1925, this armoire below won the Grand Prix. It was this piece which catapulted Sweden’s status as glass specialists to furniture design.
Ornamentum Gallery – Hudson NY
This is the first and only jewelry design gallery to be invited and represented at Design Miami since 2008.
WANTEDDESIGN FEATURES
Marking their fourth year, WantedDesign is located in the landmark Terminal Stores on 11th Street and features designers, manufacturers, galleries, institutions, and design lovers of every facet. WantedDesign runs the gamut in providing a meta-interactive experience featuring everything from pop-up shops to installations and workshops.
Chicagoland was curated and organized by Morgan Walsh, with support from Michael Dreeben, Steven Haulenbeek, and Angie West; exhibition design by Parsons & Charlesworth; and graphic design by Michael Savona. As part of Chicagoland, I have to say that Steven Haulenbeek was one noteworthy highlight. Specializing in process-oriented work Haulenbeek featured a set of bronze chairs which he cast out of ice and lost wax. Intricate, endless striations formed from the process of casting in ice. These sinuous lines helped to create the visceral elegance to his work that you can see below.
Since 1928 Rotring has been known for their stylographic fountain pens and has newly launched their mechanical pencil which also functions as a pen for iPads.
From May 16-19th, Rotring hosted a workshop, “The Future of Paper” with 30 different design students drawing work over a course of four days schools drawing with Rotring products.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukdRW9C7YDg
