Design Miami/ presented this year its 12th edition, with 31 design galleries from 10 different countries. The event welcomed the crowds with a 3D-printed pavilion by New York-based collective SHoP architects, who are the winners of the 2016 Panerai Design Miami/ Visionary Award, following on from Yves Béhar's 'surf shack’ pavilion last year. Design Miami/ 2016 was the fresh breeze in a hot December week in Miami Beach. Galleries like Chamber (New York) and Victor Hunt (Brussels), brands from Louis Vuitton to Fendi; happening like Design Talks and Design Curio: they made the fair the place to be. DAMNº talked about the Miami experience with Francisco Polo, who runs the new gallery Aybar Gallery in Miami and who is a frequent visitor of the fair.
DAMNº: How did you enjoy this year’s edition of Design Miami? Is it a plus for the design field in America, or just another design fair?
Francisco Polo: “This year was so much better than last editions. They got to develop a more specific audience that is really looking for an exclusive design. Miami is very attractive spot for this kind of design fairs, lots of events in the city support the main fair and the "beach" mode is certainly very attractive for the visitors. Design fairs are, in general, a good platform to show what is happening in the design market. The collectors fairs are growing fast within new cities like Dubai; they are interested in this kind of works for a so specific audience and customers.”
DAMNº: Your current exhibition was running alongside a week full of events in Miami.
FP: “We had a private exhibition called GLOBE with Limited Editions, Unique pieces and Experimental projects commissioned by Aybar Gallery. Marre Moerel, Sabine Marcelis, Brit van Nerven, Leonardo di Caprio, Claesson Koivisto Rune, Francesca Gotti, Talia Mukmel, Formafantasma, Richard Hutten are the designer you can see represented in this exhibition. Our gallery is focused on design consultants, collectors and architects. They were coming from all over the world during these 4 days. The exhibition runs until February 2016. We are still very young in the city and a lot of work still has to be done, but the exhibition had a great success with many customers showing interest in the pieces and in our work. We received an excellent feedbacks from our customers and the press, so it gave us definitely a boost to keep going.”
DAMNº: Are you concerned about how the design market will change now that Donald Trump will be America’s president?
FP: “I don't focus too much on politics in general. I moved from Spain to Asia in 2010, after the big economic crisis. In Bangkok, I worked as an interior designer, art director and owner of a contemporary furniture store during the last 5 years. There was not only the anticipated death of the unifying king and the effect this might have on the country and on very rapidly growing Bangkok (after his death, many foreigners were forced to leave the city); I also wanted to change my career a bit by focusing more on curatorial work and limited editions. For this, I considered Miami a better place to be. Now with Trump I can only hope everything is going to be ok.”
The Globe show is running in Aybar gallery in Miami, USA, until February 2017.
All photos from the fair by Maria Ribeiro.
Photo by Maria Ribeiro
Francisco Polo: “This year was so much better than last editions. They got to develop a more specific audience that is really looking for an exclusive design. Miami is very attractive spot for this kind of design fairs, lots of events in the city support the main fair and the "beach" mode is certainly very attractive for the visitors. Design fairs are, in general, a good platform to show what is happening in the design market. The collectors fairs are growing fast within new cities like Dubai; they are interested in this kind of works for a so specific audience and customers.”
Photo by Maria Ribeiro
FP: “We had a private exhibition called GLOBE with Limited Editions, Unique pieces and Experimental projects commissioned by Aybar Gallery. Marre Moerel, Sabine Marcelis, Brit van Nerven, Leonardo di Caprio, Claesson Koivisto Rune, Francesca Gotti, Talia Mukmel, Formafantasma, Richard Hutten are the designer you can see represented in this exhibition. Our gallery is focused on design consultants, collectors and architects. They were coming from all over the world during these 4 days. The exhibition runs until February 2016. We are still very young in the city and a lot of work still has to be done, but the exhibition had a great success with many customers showing interest in the pieces and in our work. We received an excellent feedbacks from our customers and the press, so it gave us definitely a boost to keep going.”
Richard Hutten at GLOBE exhibition. Photos: courtesy from Aybar Gallery.
Sabine Marcelis at GLOBE exhibition. Photos: courtesy from Aybar Gallery.
FP: “I don't focus too much on politics in general. I moved from Spain to Asia in 2010, after the big economic crisis. In Bangkok, I worked as an interior designer, art director and owner of a contemporary furniture store during the last 5 years. There was not only the anticipated death of the unifying king and the effect this might have on the country and on very rapidly growing Bangkok (after his death, many foreigners were forced to leave the city); I also wanted to change my career a bit by focusing more on curatorial work and limited editions. For this, I considered Miami a better place to be. Now with Trump I can only hope everything is going to be ok.”
The Globe show is running in Aybar gallery in Miami, USA, until February 2017.
All photos from the fair by Maria Ribeiro.
Talia Mukmel at GLOBE exhibition. Photos: courtesy from Aybar Gallery.
Leonardo di Caprio at GLOBE exhibition. Photos: courtesy from Aybar Gallery.
Claesson Koivisto Rune at GLOBE exhibition. Photos: courtesy from Aybar Gallery.
Formafantasma and Marre Moerel at PREFACE exhibition. Photos: courtesy from Aybar Gallery.
Marre Moerel at PREFACE exhibition. Photos: courtesy from Aybar Gallery.
