On Thursday, December 4 Luminaire hosted the opening reception for their annual curated exhibition titled DESIGNJAPAN during Art Basel and Design Miami/ week. Blurring the boundaries between art and design, DESIGNJAPAN exhibited works by three Japanese designers, Tokujin Yoshioka, Nendo and Naoto Fukasawa, who create enduring objects that balance an intrinsic sense of Japanese culture while remaining outwardly globally-ambiguous. Though each designer has his own unique approach and vocabulary, DESIGNJAPAN invited guests to interact and explore how place, technology and material inform these designers.
Attendees were able to witness each of the three designers’ ability to reduce objects to their most essential elements. Through pureness in form, materiality adds richness to each product. From the sculptural forms of Yoshioka’s Brook Ottoman for Moroso, designed especially for Issey Miyake, and the shimmering Prism collection for Glas Italia, to the pureness of expression in Nendo’s Softer Than Steel collection for Desalto, the Zabuton for Moroso and the brushstroke consoles for Glas Italia, to Fukasawa’s approachable softness in the Common Bench system for Viccarbe, each designer’s understanding of the world around them was on view. Attended by over 180 guests, the exhibition was sponsored by Voveti Italian sparkling wine.
Luminaire’s continued commitment to promoting good design and education culminated with DESIGNJAPAN during Art Basel and Design Miami/ 2014 showcasing the best in Japanese design.Harnessing its materials, whether natural or synthetic, Japanese design is characterized for capitalizing on the material while at the same time combining respect for tradition with forward thinking experimentation.
Thursday, December 4, 2014
