Eyes in Design - Miami Design Fair Review - Strong Sales and Record Attendance

The sixth edition of Design Miami/, the global forum for design, saw strong sales and record attendance throughout its five-day run in Miami Beach, December 1-5, 2010. Exhibitors and collectors were enthusiastic about the move from the start, with significant sales made within the first hours of the fair’s Collector’s Preview. Galleries not only benefited from the proximity to Art Basel Miami Beach, but attendees did as well. The fair attracted a record number of visitors from around the world including guests from throughout North America, Asia, and Europe. In addition, thousands of people from over 90 countries followed the unfolding of the fair on Design Miami’s blog. In the month leading up to the fair, the blog received over 12,000 page views.

“Staging our show adjacent to Art Basel Miami Beach was another important step in proving that design is equally as collectable as art,” said Craig Robins, Co-Founder of the fair. “This is the best show we’ve ever had in Miami. The quality of the material, the layout, the experiences, the sponsor exhibitions, and, of course, Konstantin’s installation, combined to make our strongest and best statement ever.”

Participating galleries and exhibitors were equally pleased. Founding gallerist Patrick Seguin, who has participated in all eleven editions of Design Miami/, sold a number of pieces. Among the works sold by Seguin was a collection of work by Jean Royère, which took Seguin two years to assemble. Many pieces from the collection were sold within a day of the opening including Ours Polaire Sofa and Armchairs,
which sold for $800,000, Eléphanteau sofa, which sold for €260,000, and Croisillion Bed, which sold for €125,000.

“We have seen many great collectors and the new location is a refreshing change for the fair,” said Laurence Seguin-Bergerot from Galerie Patrick Seguin. Paris-based Galerie kreo sold a number of works including Alessandro Mendini’s mosaic table, Tavolino for $46,000, Cake Stool by the Campana Brothers for $18,500, and Harumaki Chair, also by the Campanas for $11,000. The gallery also sold the Lianes lights by the Bouroullec Brothers for $40,000.

Paris-based Perimeter Art & Design sold a Monoform bench from leading architect David Adjaye’s first series of furniture for $48,000, and two Mono Sushi sofas by Fernando and Humberto Campana for approximately $130,000 each. New exhibitor Carpenters Workshop Gallery from London sold pieces including the light installation Swarm by design group rAndom International for $180,000. Johnson Trading Gallery sold work including the Nakashima Desk by George Nakashima.

Sales for Jousse Entreprise from Paris included Mexican Bookcase by Jean Prouvé and Charlotte Perriand for €130,000, along with Ribbon Chair by Pierre Paulin for $30,000.

Jousse Enterprise Owner Philippe Jousse, commented, “This year and this location is the beginning of a new story for the fair.”

New York gallery Todd Merrill sold multiple works including
James Walsh’s Burr Olive Ash dining table for approximately $145,000 to architect Rafael Viñoly. The gallery also sold Michael Coffee’s Satan’s Lounge cantilevered table for $30,000. Korean exhibitor Gallery Seomi sold four benches by Bae Sehwa to Brazilian, American, and European collectors. Seomi also sold work by Myungsun Kang to a Korean American design collector. The collector bought Kang’s From Glitter table and three matching stools at the fair, along with ordering a fourth stool. The table sold for $32,000 and each stool went for $12,000.

“I’m most happy about the new location. There was a lot of diversity in the crowd and attendees,” said PJ Park, Owner of Gallery Seomi. “The art crowd is not just visiting Design Miami/ once. With the proximity of the two shows, we are seeing return visitors. People are going back and forth between the fairs which is really great.”

Newcomer D&A Lab sold the Zeus bicycle by Amaral-Bostyn for $17,000
immediately upon the Tuesday evening opening of the fair. New York gallery Barry Friedman Ltd. sold two Commode 7 Engrenages, a threedrawer piece in cast bronze for $125,000 and $160,000. The gallery also sold Herve Wahlen’s sculpture, Luz (Sconce) for $19,000, and Michael Glancy’s vessel and tray, Verdant Flow for $85,000. In addition, the gallery sold Tokyo-ga by Laura de Santillana for $16,000.

“It was an excellent show with high-quality attendance. Everything went very well for us – we saw many longtime clients, but also met new clients as well,” said Barry Friedman.

Sales for R 20th Century Gallery from New York included a dining table by Joaquim Tenreiro, which was sold for €350,000, along with a number of stuffed animals by Renate Muller (priced between $300 and $15,000), along with three Grasshopper lamps by Greta Magnusson Grossman, which sold for $18,000 each. New York-based gallery Demisch Danant sold two Lemon Chairs by Abraham and Rol for $18,000.

Cristina Grajales Gallery sold Porcupine Cabinet by Sebastian Errazuriz for $60,000 during the fair’s Collector’s Preview—one of the first sales of the fair. In addition to the gallery programme, a regular highlight for Design Miami/ attendees is the fair’s Design Talks, which shed light on topics at the intersection of art, architecture, design, and fashion. Moderated by W Magazine’s Editor-in-Chief, Stefano Tonchi and held in the ASSOULINE Culture Lounge, participants for this year’s Talks included Silvia Venturini Fendi, Ron Arad, Pharrell Williams, Konstantin
Grcic, John Pawson, Francisco Costa, Stefano Pilati, Louise Neri, and David Adjaye. Other highlights included FENDI’s multimedia collaboration with Aranda\Lasch, Modern Primitives; Once Upon A Dream, an innovative sleep capsule combining the best in science and design created by Veuve Clicquot; and Netscape, a new work by
Konstantin Grcic (Design Miami’s Designer of the Year), which created a public meeting space for the fair’s attendees.

Also, main sponsors Audi and Swarovski were present this year with two incredible exhibitions. Exclusive automotive sponsor Audi showcased the exhibition “e-den”. Furniture made from sustainable materials in a green environment, organic food and fairtrade products: this is how the Munich-based graphic design studio Mirko Borsche envisions it. Both car and driver can recharge here. Playing off the design of the etron
Spyder, the installation is dominated by reflective glass but its architecture is reminiscent of a 1950s American gas station. “Our aim in creating this installation is to heighten the public’s awareness of the wide range of challenges electromobility presents. And we provide food for thought – not just about electric vehicles themselves, but also about the infrastructure that will have to be created to support electric mobility,” says Peter Schwarzenbauer, Member of the Audi Board of Management for Marketing and Sales.

Swarovski Crystal Palace, in collaboration with London based art and design talent TROIKA, presented Falling Light, a work highlighting the intrinsic qualities of Swarovski Crystal optical lens. The collaboration is in line with Swarovski’s mission to support emerging talent from the architecture, design, art and technology worlds, constantly redefining the use of crystal as a material for expression. This year’s collaboration with Troika’s mechanical installation demonstrates the purest
expression of crystal, comprising 50 ceiling-mounted, LED devices that emanate from a mechanical arm, pushing light through the custom-cut Swarovski crystal lens – that act like prisms – casting beautiful ‘light drops’ onto the gallery floor Design Miami/ 2010 confirmed once again that it is the only fair of its kind. With a unique presentation spanning limited-edition design from around the world, the December 2010 show proved to be one of the most successful in the show’s history.
Design Miami/ is the global forum that attracts the world’s leading critics, collectors, designers, galleries and curators.