Design Miami/ 2021 – Over 40 international exhibitors presented at this year’s fair
Strong sales across the preview days included a sellout booth at Southern Guild and strong interest in ceramics across the program
Design Miami/ debuted the official Design Miami/ Mobile App, introduced cryptocurrency payments and presented NFTs at the fair for the first time
New Louis Vuitton digital partnership announced
Largest Design Talks program presented in Miami including a new series of digital 15-minute talks
Miami, December 8, 2021 – Design Miami 2021 concluded its seventeenth edition in Miami Beach on Sunday with over 40 exhibitors showcasing the very best in historic and contemporary collectible furniture and decorative art.
This year’s fair saw the launch of a host of new digital initiatives from Design Miami/ including the debut of the official Design Miami/ Mobile App and payments in cryptocurrencies possible both online and onsite for the first time at a major fair. Design Miami/ also launched a curated sale of NFTs in collaboration with five artists presented by Friedman Benda and R & Company, available between 1-5 December with all works sold via online auction on OpenSea.
Jennifer Roberts, CEO of Design Miami/ said: “The 2021 edition of Design Miami/ was the culmination of months of dedication and hard work by our dealers, partners and our own Design Miami/ team. It’s been so encouraging to have such an overwhelmingly positive reception to the fair from the gallery presentations to the new digital initiatives we have launched including our dedicated mobile app and first curated NFT sale”.
GALLERY PROGRAM/
This year contemporary ceramics proved popular across the gallery program with a number of galleries exhibiting new work. First time exhibitor Jeffrey Deitch presented Clay Pop, an exhibition of ceramic sculpture by a new generation of artists curated by New York gallery director Alia Williams. At The Future Perfect the gallery presented a dynamic “remix” of new works including by a number of Design Miami/ debuts such as ceramicist Bari Ziperstein whose presentation included a five-part interlocking ceramic coffee table which, at 63 inches, is the designer’s largest work to date. At Hostler Burrows, ceramic works by multimedia artist Sakari Kannosto inspired by Finnish folklore and fairytales were popular. The playful designs explore the relationship between humankind and nature. Cape Town gallery Southern Guild presented an immersive booth entitled Studio Visit showcasing new works specially commissioned for Design Miami/ by four South African designers. The exhibition proved popular with visitors and collectors alike with almost all works sold within the first two days of the fair.
Trevyn McGowan, co-founder of Southern Guild said “Our reception in Design Miami/ this year was unprecedented. Sales have been incredibly strong, with the majority of pieces being sold in the first two days of the fair. This is our 10th year at the fair and after a decade of showing there, we feel we have a very good understanding of our audience. Our bravery to commit to showing at the fair early in the year paid off, as did our bold curatorial approach to focus on ceramics and present this in the immersive context of a working ceramicist’s studio. This resonated widely with collectors and institutions at the fair, and the feedback was phenomenal. Some of the top collectors in the world acquired the work and we saw fantastic support from art advisors and the design industry too”
Friedman Benda gallery presented the debut of Samuel Ross’ SIGNAL Series – a new collection of seating forms by the streetwear designer and creative director. Emblematic of Ross’ all-encompassing, conceptually rigorous approach, the traditional fair booth setting was transformed by the designer into a quasi-industrial setting.
Also on show were a number of rare and important historic works. New York’s R & Company presented a seminal masterwork by Wendell Castle, the 1962 Chest of Draws which captured Castle’s innate ability to merge the sensibilities of both sculpture and furniture into a new, cohesive whole. This work was awarded Best in Show, recognising the significance of this museum-quality piece. Experts in works by George Nakashima, Moderne Gallery also presented a masterpiece at the fair, the first furniture pieces by the Japanese-American designer. The Karuizawa Chair, dated from 1935 in Japan, was designed for a church in Karuizawa Japan and until recently only two were known to exist, both in Japanese Museums.
CURIO PROGRAM/
This year’s Curio program was the largest to date with over 19 presentations from galleries and designers. First time exhibitor Twenty First Gallery presented new work by Polish designer Marcin Rusak, paying homage to Josef Frank’s iconic Flora Cabinets of the 1930s and 1950s, Rusak’s collection titled Flora Contemporaria, included four limited-edition cabinets made using the designer’s self-developed techniques that incorporates real flora into the works. J. Lohmann Gallery presented a collection of handcrafted porcelain vessels by designer Dandra Davolio inspired by her deep connection to the sea and its coral reefs. Harry Nuriev returned to Miami with a new exhibition entitled The Bedroom, the designer’s third installment within his explorations of transitory spaces. Featuring a Ryokan-style mattress presented within an ethereal cubic lightbox, visitors encountered an LED ceiling display that emulated the sunrise and sunset.
Also returning to Miami was Beirut-based House of Today presenting a new series of work by Lebanese designer Khaled El Mays. Inspired by nature, the five piece series New Nature features two mirrors, a bar, a coffee table and the designer’s first ever chair. The collection features an assembly of materials and high craft techniques particular to Mexico City where the collection was produced, drawing on El Mays love of collaborating with master artisans for his work.
House of Today Chairwoman, Cherine Magrabi Tayeb said “Design Miami has continually served as a melting pot of cultures, with inspiring exhibitions by international designers. Our presence here, representing and in collaboration with our Lebanese designers, signifies our shared commitment of being part of the ever-evolving design movement, in the epicenter of an expansive space that allows for dialogue and opportunities to flourish”.
NOTABLE ATTENDEES/
Elle Macpherson, model; Aby Rosen, entrepreneur; Daniel Arsham, designer; Bradley Cooper, actor; Peter Marino, Architect; Donna Karan, fashion designer; Stefano Tonchi, journalist; Silvia Venturini Fendi, creative director; JR, artist; David Grutman, entrepreneur.
DESIGN MIAMI/ OFFICIAL MOBILE APP, CRYPTOCURRENCY PAYMENTS AND CURATED NFT SALE/
The introduction of the Official Design Miami/ Mobile App offered users the ability to engage with the fair like never before; offering the ability to navigate the show floor like a seasoned VIP, unlock special offers, browse Design Miami/ fairs through 3D tours and, for the first time, click-to-buy exhibited works right from the show floor.
Alongside the app and it’s click-to-buy functionality, Design Miami/ launched cryptocurrency payment through Coinbase for any objects available on the online marketplace.
Design Miami/ also debuted an exclusive, highly curated collection of NFTs, commissioned from Job Smeets, Katie Stout, Sebastian Errazuriz, and Studio Proba presented by R & Company and multiple works from Misha Kahn presented by Friedman Benda. This premiere collection was sold via online auction on OpenSea and also presented onsite at Design Miami/.
DESIGN MIAMI/ LOUIS VUITTON PARTNERSHIP ANNOUNCED/
Design Miami/ has partnered with Louis Vuitton to offer – for the first time – a new digital shopping experience on Design Miami’s online marketplace, designmiami.com. The digital storefront presents a travel-inspired collection of the brand’s celebrated Objets Nomades collection to collectors and design enthusiasts who will be redirected to Louisvuitton.com for shopping. This new partnership brings Louis Vuitton’s collection of inventive, creative, and functional furniture to an expanded audience.
You can view the collection available at designmiami.com here: designmiami.com/gallery/objets-nomades
ADDITIONAL PROGRAMMING/
Amongst this year’s partner and satellite collaborations, Kohler showcased its Rock.01 sink collaboration with contemporary artist Daniel Arsham. The“Stone Flow” installation showcased the one-of-a-kind, limited-edition 3D-printed sink entitled Rock.01 that brought together the creative innovation and expert craftsmanship from Kohler and Arsham. Produced in a limited edition of 99, the Rock.01 is crafted in Kohler, Wisconsin and will be available to purchase from 12pm EST on Dec. 10 – sold exclusively through kohlercollective.com. Maison Perrier-Jouët renewed its collaboration with Austrian design studio mischer’traxler studio to present Embodied nature, an interactive art installation that explored the relationship between mankind and nature. More than 100 species from all over the world were suspended within the installation space and displayed in a “cabinet de curiosités”.
FENDI invited MABEO, the furniture and accessories brand from Botswana, Africa, and its associated design studio, to develop products that build on their ongoing research into craft specializations. Kompa, a collection of ten pieces of furniture made up of distinct interrelating methods, was developed following creative meetings in Rome with Kim Jones, Silvia Venturini Fendi and Delfina Delettrez Fendi.
New partners at the fair included Maestro Dobel as the Official Tequila partner of Design Miami/ who brought their Artpothecary concept to life in Miami. The brand delighted visitors with ‘The Fruit Chemist’, a bespoke epicurean experience with an exclusively curated menu paired with Maestro Dobel by globally renowned Chef Jorge Vallejo of Mexico City’s Quintonil and furniture designed by ATRA – who won Design Miami’s ‘Best in Show: Best Curio Presentation’ award at this year’s fair.
Also debuting at Design Miami/, AIG Private Client group presented the Collectors Lounge commission in partnership with Black Artists + Designer Guild (BADG), a nonprofit organization and global platform representing a curated collective of independent Black artists, makers, and designers across various art and design disciplines who are at the top of their respective fields. Showcasing the work of designers Leyden Lewis (Leyden Lewis Design Studio) and Danielle Fennoy (Revamp Interior Design), the walls of the lounge were covered in a new camouflage-inspired design, titled Blackouflage, in a spectrum of different shades that reflect the myriad fluid identities that are encompassed within the Black community.
Founder of BADG, Malene Barnett said “The Collector’s Lounge at Design Miami was BADG’s first in-person event since the pandemic, and it felt like a homecoming surrounded by a community of design enthusiasts. We were thrilled to partner with AIG Private Client Group and have support from Benjamin Moore, building on our mission to create inclusive and equitable spaces through our design “Blackouflage.” Blackouflage, a concept to expand ideas around Black identity and expression developed by BADG Makers Leyden Lewis and Danielle Fennoy garnered overwhelming encouraging responses and connections.”
DESIGN MIAMI/ DESIGN TALKS/
This year’s Design Talks also expanded to embrace the fair’s new hybrid format, offering the most extensive talks program to date. In-person and digital talks offered insightful and future-thinking panels from some of the world’s leading names in art, design and architecture including designer Daniel Arsham, architect Florencia Rodriguez, and artist and fashion designer Samuel Ross.
For 2021, Design Miami/ also introduced a new series of 15-minute talks on Design & Human·Kind, where they connected with outstanding creatives to explore design-led visions for a more equitable and interconnected world. You can read more and watch the talks here: shop.deignmiami.com/pages/talks
Design Miami/ 2021 Galleries/
AGO Projects/ Mexico City
Ateliers Courbet/ New York
Bernard Goldberg Fine Arts, LLC/ New York
Carpenters Workshop Gallery/ New York
CONVERSO/ Chicago
Friedman Benda/ New York
Hostler Burrows/ New York
Jason Jacques Gallery/ Clinton Corners
Jeffrey Deitch/ New York
John Keith Russell/ South Salem
Magen H Gallery/ New York
Moderne Gallery/ Philadelphia
Ornamentum/ Hudson
R & Company/ New York
Salon 94 Design/ New York
SIDE Gallery/ Barcelona
Southern Guild/ Cape Town
The Future Perfect/ San Francisco
Thomsen Gallery/ New York
Todd Merrill Studio/ New York
Volume Gallery/ Chicago
Wexler Gallery/ Philadelphia
Design Miami/ 2021 Curios/
APICAL REFORM & zeel studio/ Gujarat
ATRA/ Mexico City
Bea Interiors Design/ Miami
Bohinc Studio/ London
Gallery ALL/ Alhambra, Beijing
Harry Nuriev/ New York
House of Today/ Beirut
J. Lohmann Gallery/ New York
James de Wulf/ Los Angeles
Mercado Moderno/ Rio de Janeiro
Mindy Solomon Gallery/ Miami
Objective Gallery/ Shanghai
PELLE/ Brooklyn
Room 57 Gallery/ New York
RUEMMLER/ New York
Tom Dixon/ New York
Tuleste Factory/ New York
Twenty First Gallery/ New York
VERDI/ Bogota
DM/BX/ 2021 Exhibitors
Agustina Bottoni/ Milan
Andreu Carulla/ Girona
Anders Hamilton presented by BKLYN CLAY/ Brooklyn
Andrew Casto presented by Mindy Solomon Gallery/ Miami
Ashley Porrini presented by Wexler Gallery/ Philadelphia
Birnam Wood Studio presented by Tuleste Factory/ New York
Charlie Cunningham presented by Wexler Gallery/ Philadelphia
Christopher Kurtz/ New York
Dara Schaefer/ New York
Dean Roper presented by BKLYN CLAY/ Brooklyn
Glenn Barkley presented by Mindy Solomon Gallery/ Miami
Gustav Hamilton presented by BKLYN CLAY/ Brooklyn
Katharina Kaminski presented by AMEN Candles/ Paris
Kiyoko Morioka presented by Ippodo Gallery/ New York
Kyle Mello Dixon presented by Wexler Gallery/ Philadelphia
Roberto Lugo presented by Wexler Gallery/ Philadelphia
Sarah Allwine presented by BKLYN CLAY/ Brooklyn
Soleil Carlos presented by BKLYN CLAY/ Brooklyn
Maria Beckmann presented Tuleste Factory/ New York
Magen H Gallery/ New York
R & Company/ New York
Ries Studio/ Buenos Aires
RRRES Studio/ Oaxaca
Ruby Kean presented by Tuleste Factory/ New York
Studio Proba/ Portland, New York
Toni Losey presented by J. Lohmann Gallery/ New York
Timbur presented by Tuleste Factory/ New York
Tom Dixon/ New York
Tomoyuki Hoshino presented by Ippodo Gallery/ New York
Tuleste Factory, New York
Quinaz Studio/ Miami
Design Miami/ 2021 Partners/
AIG
BADG
Convelio
Dior
Doha Design District
Fendi
Grand Seiko
Maestro Dobel
Perrier Jouet
Kohler
Lexus
Miami Design District
Panerai
Phaidon and Books & Books
SCAD
Superblue
USM and Luminaire
W South Beach
Design Miami/ 2021
1-5 December, Miami Beach
Schedule of Events/
Preview Day/ By Invitation Only
Tuesday, November 30/
Members Preview/ 11AM – 12PM
Collector’s Preview/ 12-7PM
Wednesday, December 1/
VIP Preview/ 11AM – 1PM
Public Show Days/
Wednesday, December 1/ 1–8PM
Thursday, December 2/ 11AM–8PM
Friday, December 3/ 12–8PM
Saturday, December 4/ 12–8PM
Sunday, December 5/ 12–6PM
Notes to Editors
Design Miami 2021/ Best in Show Award Winners
Best Gallery Presentation: Southern Guild, Cape Town
Best Curio Presentation: ATRA, Mexico City
Best Historic Work: Wendell Castle Chest of Drawers at R & Company, New York
Best Contemporary Work: Halo by Bradley Bowers at The Future Perfect, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco
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