A silvery tunnel with glittering streamers waving in the wind is a dramatic entryway. Designed by LAB at Rockwell Group, this extravagant portal, titled “Tinsel Town,” set the stage for what to expect at the fifth edition of Collective Design, on view at the Skylight Clarkson Square through May 7. It’s a meeting of aesthetic and functional design. Everyday objects are elevated to the realm of art in the hands of talented designers from all over the world. Here are seven pieces we loved at this year’s fair.
Jennifer Trask, Loop. Courtesy of Gallery Loupe.
1. Jennifer Trask, “Accretions” at Gallery Loupe, Montclair, New Jersey
These necklaces and wall installations by Jennifer Trask appear to be the epitome of opulent elegance—ornate designs that recall Baroque excess. But in addition to precious metals and genstones, Trask works with animal bones, incorporating beaver teeth, snake ribs, and raccoon scapula into her creations. The result is an exploration of ideas around growth, decay, and composition.
Fernando Mastrangelo, from the “Thaw” series. Courtesy of Fernando Mastrangelo.
2. Fernando Mastrangelo, “Thaw” at Fernando Mastrangelo Studio
After years of casting works in sand, Fernando Mastrangelo now experiments with powdered glass, creating luminous articles of furniture inspired by the planet’s rapidly melting glaciers. The glass is malleable and can take up different textures and degrees of fineness, allowing it to adopt a variety of appearances.
The environmental undertone was unexpected, a positive surprise at a fair where politics rarely make an appearance. Mastrangelo told artnet News that “I think designers are thinking about function, about aesthetics, about utility… I say, let’s make beautiful things that have a message!”
Peter Lane, “The Darkroom.” Courtesy of Collective Design and photographer Clemens Kois.
3. Peter Lane, “The Darkroom”
Peter Lane is taking ceramics in an entirely new direction, teaming up with FACE Design to create a room made of clay (8 tons of it or 4.5 tons once dried, to be exact). The black-glazed ceramic—one sculpted piece that is then cut into sections small enough to fit into the firing oven—is essentially the world’s heaviest wall paper. All three walls will run you $1.3 million or $2,500 per square foot.
The booth also includes Lane’s take on the Dürer solid, a 8-sided geometric shape depicted in Albrecht Dürer’s 1514 engraving Melancholia I.
Lane was disappointed to find out that he wasn’t the first artist to create a 3-D version of the shape. “I saw an Anselm Kiefer and I was like, ‘Damn it!'” he joked. Lane’s version looks sleek and ultra-modern and it’s all the more intriguing to learn of its art historical roots.
Pelle, “Lure Chandelier.” Courtesy of Pelle and photographer Eric Petschek.
4. Pelle, “Lure Chandelier,” Pelle Studio, New York
Hard lines of lustrous bronze are in harmony with the delicacy of hand-cast, cotton paper flowers in this romantic lighting fixture. “The paper gives it the soft, petal-like texture,” said Pelle’s Justin Hushka, who was quick to allay any fears about durability: “It will last for 100 years.”
The Haas Brothers, “Cream of Some Fungi.” Courtesy of R & Company.
5. The Haas Brothers, “Cream of Some Fungi” at R & Company, New York
The latest addition to fantastical world of the Hass Brothers is this incredible beaded mushroom. Its larger-than-life scale immediately recalls Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland—all that’s missing is the smoking caterpillar.
The bulbous gold stem and cushiony mushroom cap are a striking juxtaposition of hard and soft elements. Make sure to peek at the underside of the cap, where you’ll find the gorgeous gills made from multi-colored fabrics. It can be yours for just $120,000.
Glenn Barkley, pots and vases at Mindy Solomon Gallery, Miami. Courtesy of Collective Design and photographer Scott Rudd.
6. Glenn Barkley, pots and vases at Mindy Solomon Gallery, Miami
Glenn Barkley’s playful ceramics, in front of the bright pink walls of Mindy Solomon’s booth, are among the most eye-catching works on view. Reasonably priced, starting at just $1,100, the mix of colors and textures is unexpectedly engaging.
Tiny indentations pepper each piece, with what looks like large amorphous growths flourishing off the surface. These wonderful objects retain both an air of sophistication and a sense of childlike wonder.
Märta Mattsson, Plants. Courtesy of Märta Mattsson.
7. Märta Mattsson, “Remains” at Sienna Patti, Lennox, Massachusetts
Following a trip to Easter Island where she saw numerous animal carcasses decaying on the mountainsides, Märta Mattsson created a line of necklaces using cow, reindeer, and goat parchment. The shapes are “based on Polynesian leis made from flowers, but these are eternal ones,” the artist told artnet News. The works range from $2,200 to $3,000.
Collective Design is on view at Skylight Clarkson Square, 550 Washington Street, May 3–7, 2017.