Midcentury Furniture With a French Accent Dominates the New Design Miami / Paris
Founded nearly 20 years ago in its namesake city, the Design Miami fair has expanded to an annual edition in Basel, Switzerland, and this week it opened its first iteration alongside the Paris+ art fair, with 27 galleries putting furniture, lighting, and other design objects in front of collectors. While its other incarnations often emphasize daring work by contemporary designers, the Paris outing focused on showing historical pieces, including a few sought-after knockouts by 20th-century heavy hitters. Here are some highlights.
Galleria Rossella Colombari showcased a striking, wood-and-glass dining set.
It was designed in 1961 by Italian architect and designer Fausto Bontempi.
Jousse Entreprise presented a colorful 1953 bookcase designed by Charlotte Perriand for the House of Mexico. It was joined by an assortment of Jean Prouvé chairs.
Jean Royère’s red velvet Polar Bear seating may have been designed in 1958—but it looks just as fresh today in this living space curated by Galerie Jacques Lacoste.
In a break from all of the historical work, Salon 94 showcased a dazzling suite of furniture by Max Lamb.ristic sideboard is made from polystyrene coated with silver nitrate.
The futuristic sideboard is made from polystyrene coated with silver nitrate.
A rare 1950s calfskin armchair by Charlotte Perriand pops amidst other midcentury furnishings presented by Galerie Downtown - Laffanou.
Featured by Moderne Gallery, this 1968 show-stopper is one of just three freestanding sofas designed by Wharton Esherick.
Jean Prouvé’s S.A.M. table No. 506 is joined by four Métropole No. 305 chairs in this dining set offered by Galerie Patrick Seguin.
Galerie Patrick Seguin also exhibited one of the world’s first prefab homes: Jean Prouvé’s 6x6 Demountable House.
Prouvé designed the dwelling to provide housing after World War II, although it was never mass produced.
The structure can be assembled by three people in one day.
Demisch Danant conjured up a seaside setting by pairing a Madonna del Monte coffee table and Azulejos panel by Noé Duchaufour-Lawrance with a tubular ’70s sofa by Michel Boyer.
Galerie Desprez Breheret debuted two massive, chunky chairs crafted by Dan Pollock from fallen wood collected in the California desert.
Finnish artist and designer Anna Pesonen’s Dialogue seat was the talk of the show. Featured by Galerie Scene Ouverte, the sculptural chair for two is carved from a single block of marble.
A chair by the studio Full Grown at Sarah Myerscough Gallery was grown from a tree.
Also at Sarah Meyerscough, a spooky cabinet by Marlene Huissoud is covered with silkworm cocoons.
Top Photo by Mike Chino.
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