Design Miami/ is always a stunning collection of modern and contemporary design under one roof, but can be a bit overwhelming without knowing where to look. I led tours of the fair (the Museum’s second tour collaboration with DM/) to provide insight into this year’s highlights, connecting the works on view and illuminating themes. Honestly,...

It is easy to miss the highlights when you don’t know where to look. At Design Miami/ 2012, there were many, and the guided tours I led sought to help visitors navigate the fair by taking a deep dive into the content, illuminating themes and historical continuity in the contemporary work. What follow are five...

Tour Eiffel Lamp. Designed by Studio Job, 2012. Carpenters Workshop Gallery. (Image from http://art.sy/artwork/studio-job-tour-eiffel-lamp.) The work of Dutch design firm Studio Job is at once humorous, witty, and ironic, heavy on ornament and always well-crafted. Without fail, I am intrigued to see what they come up with next as an expression of contemporary decorative arts. At...

Biccio fillet, part of the Faked Meat series by Marije Vogelzang on view at the Food Culture exhibition. Design and food continues to be an area of design practice garnering attention as it pushes at the boundaries of what we think of as traditional design. (Full discloser, I am organizing an exhibition on the subject.) Case...

Float. Designed by Snarkitecture, 2012. Volume Gallery. As a curator focused on contemporary design, one of the things I seek out is trends. At this year’s Design Miami/, opening December 5th, one of many trends I’m already spotting is the unexpected. Designers are challenging our eye, whether through their material choices, forms, or program, confounding...

Design Watch Members from across the nation met in Miami for a memorable week of design. The seventh edition of Design Miami/ featured the world’s leading galleries specializing in 20th and 21st century collectible design. This year’s expanded fair included 28 galleries. Among them, Cristina Grajales Gallery, Galerie Maria Wettergren, Moss, Mark McDonald, Venice Projects,...

Design Watch Members from across the nation – Atlanta, Philadelphia, Chicago, Detroit, Tampa, New York, and Miami – gathered for an action-packed week of design in Miami.   Joined by Cooper-Hewitt’s Caroline Baumann, Associate Director, and Matilda McQuaid, Deputy Curatorial Director, we explored the Design Miami/, Art Basel Miami Beach, and surrounding fairs; made new...

Herzog & de Meuron's 1111 Lincoln Road parking garage—wonderful mix of cast-in-place concrete slabs and luxury shopping: Josh Owen's menorah caught my eye in Bobby Berke's shop—it's solid, simple and ceremonial, with an integrated tray to catch all the wax! Lisa Roberts, Cooper-Hewitt Board of Trustees member and I had an exciting time experiencing our...

Another day with Design Watch Members in Miami…. First stop: 1111 Lincoln Road with architect Nils Sanderson from Swiss architects’ Herzog & de Mueron’s office. Nils started the tour in front of this just completed parking garage (but this is no ordinary parking garage) that anchors the western end of the pedestrian Lincoln Road. Starting...