Design Miami announces global rebrand and shares preview highlights for inaugural Los Angeles fair in May
- Curatorial Director Ashlee Harrison shares programming inspired by LA’s rich design heritage, centered on themes of eclecticism, imagination, and nostalgia
- New global rebrand designed by Henrik Purienne explores ‘Living with Design’
April 2024, Los Angeles – Design Miami is pleased to announce preview highlights for its newest edition in Los Angeles, taking place May 16th through 20th 2024. Taking inspiration from the fair’s location at a private Holmby Hills estate designed by the late architect Paul R. Williams, Curatorial Director Ashlee Harrison offers a dynamic program of collectible design that expands on themes of eclecticism, imagination, and nostalgia. Design Miami has also announced its new global rebrand. Designed by Henrik Purienne, Design Miami’s Global Creative Director for 2024, the rebrand offers a new creative expression across the fair’s international programming in Los Angeles, Basel, Paris and Miami Beach.
Design Miami CEO, Jen Roberts says: “2024 is a year of evolution for Design Miami, as we continue to reach wider audiences through our expanding programming and ever-growing creative network. It feels perfectly fitting to start the year with our inaugural LA exhibition – which promises a dynamic and thoughtful gallery program that is deeply rooted in the city’s cultural and creative ecosystem. We look forward to presenting this fair through the lens of our new visual identity - designed to reflect the past, present and future of Design Miami as the global forum for collectible design”.
LOS ANGELES GALLERY HIGHLIGHTS
The inaugural edition of DESIGN MIAMI.LA will serve as a testament to California’s rich design heritage, set within a historic 1938 Holmby Hills estate designed by the legendary Paul R. Williams. From the post-war mid-century design boom and car culture, to the entertainment industry and space age engineering, Southern California has established itself as an international arbiter of taste. DESIGN MIAMI.LA will pay homage to the dynamic cultural exchange that has been firmly established in the fabric of Los Angeles. This year’s edition will welcome a series of engaging exhibitions that will center around themes of eclecticism, imagination, and nostalgia - all of which have been integral to informing the city’s design landscape. Under the curatorial direction of Ashlee Harrison, this fair’s program will bridge the past with the present, using Los Angeles’s design legacy as a touchpoint to explore how the city continues to inspire and shape global design conversations.
Design Miami’s Los Angeles Curatorial Director, Ashlee Harrison, says: “I am honored to collaborate with Design Miami as Curatorial Director of the inaugural edition of DESIGN MIAMI.LA. This edition will serve as a testament to California’s rich design heritage, paying homage to the Paul R. Williams designed historic estate in which the fair will be presented. A land of dreamers and creators, California has always been fertile ground for risk-taking and avant-garde thinking across all realms of design. This edition of DESIGN MIAMI.LA will center on the themes of eclecticism, imagination, and nostalgia that have informed the city’s design landscape, bringing together some of the world's leading international design galleries and voices for the first time under one roof.”
For the inaugural edition of DESIGN MIAMI.LA, Friedman Benda (New York/Los Angeles) plans to present a curated group exhibition, with an emphasis on LA-based design practices. Works presented at the fair will nod to Design Miami’s global context and place within the design community, whilst acknowledging the local surroundings of Los Angeles and its cultural significance across the international design landscape. Highlight works will include the likes of Darren Romanelli, Carmen D’Apollonio, Farrell Hundley, Misha Kahn, and Samuel Ross.
Having just opened a second location in Melrose Hill, Los Angeles, Southern Guild (Cape Town/Los Angeles) will bring a distinctive point of difference to the Los Angeles edition. For this inaugural fair, the gallery will sensitively weave narratives of hyper-sentimentalism, nostalgia, ecological concerns, craft traditions, and social politics into a striking exhibition. The presentation curated for DESIGN MIAMI.LA will mark a significant milestone in Southern Guild’s contemporary epoch, through a globalized presentation of notable designers. Exhibiting designers will include Zanele Muholi, Zizipho Poswa, Porky Hefer, Andile Dyalvane, Rich Mnisi, Cheick Diallo, Nandipha Mntambo, King Houdekpinkhou, Patrick Bongoy and others.
%2C%202023%20by%20Rich%20Mnisi%20from%20Southern%20Guild%20at%20Design%20Miami%20Los%20Angeles%20(Image%20courtesy%20of%20Southern%20Guild).jpeg "Rifuwo (Wealth), 2023 by Rich Mnisi from Southern Guild at Design Miami Los Angeles (Image courtesy of Southern Guild)")
The Future Perfect (New York/Los Angeles) will respond directly to the classical decor within the Paul R. Williams estate, through a presentation of works that offer subtle magnitude and quiet importance. The exhibition will present works by Genesis Belanger, created in collaboration with Bower Studios - a collection of acid etched bronze mirrors, which feature sets of hands emerging from behind curtains. The mirrors, which shift from obfuscation to clarity, present a deeply evocative image, creating an immersive and striking showcase. The Future Perfect will also place a spotlight on works by Jane Yang-D’Haene, Chris Wolston, Leena Similu, and Eric Roinestad. Through presenting a melange of designers together in one conversation, The Future Perfect will draw a constellation around contemporary design and its place in history.
Moderne Gallery (Philadelphia) will present a carefully considered presentation of rare and important works by George Nakashima, in conversation with historical and contemporary works by esteemed designers including Miriam Carpenter, Hasimoto Tomonari, and Bobby Silverman. Never before seen pieces by Nakashima, from a single estate, will take center stage alongside a masterwork by Miriam Carpenter. This exhibition provides a unique opportunity to experience the convergence of masterpieces spanning the 20th and 21st centuries, all within the intimate setting of a residential environment. Moderne Gallery will encapsulate the essence of the studio movement, offering a glimpse into this creative world and the enduring allure of craftsmanship.
R & Company (New York) will showcase a unique combination of works by contemporary designers based on the West Coast - including Hun Chung Lee, Rogan Gregory, and Jolie Ngo. The presentation will explore a design dialogue that seeks to develop new avenues for growth in the industry. Meanwhile, Gallery FUMI (London) will recreate a domestic setting with works that showcase exceptional quality and craftsmanship from an array of designers. Highlights include the likes of Kustaa Saksi’s Pitkä-Kotka Chair, crafted from woven textile art wrapped around an oak wooden frame; the Incontro Low Table by Francesco Perini, crafted from oak and inlaid with rings of black gold marble; and a pair of mirrored wall sculptures from the Rosa Luna series by Sam Orlando Miller, created in hues inspired by the Los Angeles sunrise and sunset.
PODIUM
To mark the occasion of the inaugural DESIGN MIAMI.LA, Harrison will curate a Podium exhibition under the theme “Master Works of Collectible Design, 1938-Present”. The Podium display will showcase a curated exhibition of works from multiple galleries, through the lens of a historic and contemporary survey that evokes the allure and sophistication of Hollywood’s golden era. Showcasing masterful innovation and refined craftsmanship, the exhibition will spotlight the central position Los Angeles holds within the global design landscape. The Podium curation will pay homage to the pioneers of design from the old world to now, drawing from a rich cultural heritage as well as cutting-edge creations of today. The Podium exhibition at DESIGN MIAMI.LA will embody a journey through the evolution of design excellence, celebrating the essence of what defines significant and influential work.
GLOBAL REBRAND
Designed by Henrik Purienne, Global Creative Director for 2024, Design Miami’s global rebrand is based on the concept of ‘Living with Design’. This is visually expressed through photography of celebrated creatives within their lived environments, capturing moments that touch upon the daily interactions between people and design. This is paired with a clean new graphic identity, designed to serve as visual unifier across Design Miami’s flagship fairs, honoring the dynamic spectrum of Design Miami’s offering as the global forum for collectible design.
For the inaugural LA fair, Purienne chose celebrated LA-based artist Peter Shire as the subject of the campaign and the photographic campaigns for future fairs will go on to spotlight different creatives, drawing on and reflecting Design Miami’s expansive global network. By capturing creatives from diverse fields living with design, the fair’s new visual language will create a space not just for showcasing but for experiencing and connecting with exceptional design - reflecting the seamless integration of aesthetics, emotion and functionality.
The decision to feature Shire in the LA fair campaign stems from his deep relevance to the Los Angeles creative scene, as well as his fluid practice and multidisciplinary approach to design - reflective of Design Miami’s diverse creative community. Design Miami’s Global Creative Director, Henrik Purienne, says: “Peter Shire remains a vital figure in Los Angeles's creative landscape, bridging the gaps between different artistic disciplines and challenging our perceptions of art, design, and their place in everyday life. His work not only reflects the dynamic and eclectic spirit of Los Angeles but also continues to inspire and provoke dialogue in the wider creative community.”
The rebrand launches during a key year for Design Miami, as 2024 marks the 20th anniversary of the first flagship fair in Miami Beach. Describing how the new identity reflects the brand’s past, present and future present, Henrik Purienne, says: “The rebrand navigates Design Miami's legacy and vision, blending its rich 20-year history with a forward-thinking ethos. It's a nuanced reflection, preserving the past while charting a bold, innovative future, embodying a dynamic evolution within the design world.”
NOTES TO EDITORS
Exhibitors
Carpenters Workshop Gallery, London/Paris/New York/Los Angeles
Southern Guild, Cape Town/Los Angeles
Moderne Gallery, Philadelphia
R & Company, New York
Friedman Benda, New York/Los Angeles
Todd Merrill Studio, New York
Gallery FUMI, London
Salon 94 Design, New York
Charles Burnand Gallery, London
The Future Perfect, New York/Los Angeles
Galerie Negropontes, Paris
Lebreton, Monaco
Wexler Gallery, Philadelphia
Ornamentum, New York
James de Wulf, Los Angeles
Nick Thomm, Melbourne/Los Angeles
Visiting the Fair
Register your interest to attend here.
2024 Look Ahead
DESIGN MIAMI.BASEL, June 10-16, 2024
This June, DESIGN MIAMI.BASEL will return to its established location at the Basel Messeplatz for its 18th edition. As the leading global forum for design, Design Miami’s Basel fair will present a celebration of many of the world’s leading design galleries.
DESIGN MIAMI.PARIS, October 15-20, 2024
Following the successful debut of DESIGN MIAMI.PARIS in October 2023, the French edition will return to L'hôtel de Maisons for its second edition this October. The fair will once again create a dialogue between rare and exceptional contemporary and historic collectible design, within the landscape of the established, international cultural capital.
DESIGN MIAMI., December 3-8, 2024
This December will see Design Miami return to its home turf for the flagship Miami Beach edition. The fair will celebrate the best of design culture through immersive exhibitions, special projects and collaborations, creating an international platform to celebrate the best in contemporary and historic collectible design.
About The Holmby Hills Estate
The Holmby Hills estate is one of the largest houses built by architect Paul R.Williams. As the first Black architect to become a member of the American Institute of Architects, Williams also designed the Los Angeles homes of many 20th century Hollywood legends including Lucille Ball and Frank Sinatra. Spanning 30,000 square feet across three separate buildings, the iconic location features elements of 1930s Georgian colonial revival architecture in conversation with contemporary interiors. Originally commissioned in 1938, the property was formerly home to the late fashion designer, Max Azria.
About Design Miami
Design Miami connects the world through extraordinary collectible design, with live fairs that bring together galleries, designers, brands, experts, collectors, and enthusiasts. Each edition of Design Miami features museum-quality 20th and 21st century furniture, lighting, and objets d’art from the world’s top, expertly vetted galleries, in addition to showcasing immersive design collaborations with celebrated brands. Design Miami’s flagship fairs take place alongside Art Basel in Miami, Florida, each December, in Basel, Switzerland, each June, in Paris, France, each October in conjunction with Paris+ par Art Basel, and now, in Los Angeles this May 2024. Design Miami is also accessible 365-days a year through designmiami.com, a content-rich digital marketplace featuring works from leading galleries and original editorial and video content on Forum Magazine.
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