Spazio Nobile (Brussels) will showcase within the Curio program, to present LUNISOLAR - a duo exhibition between Taiwanese designer, Pao Hui Kao, and acclaimed Norwegian ceramicist, Ann Beate Tempelhaug. The exhibition title, LUNISOLAR, responds to themes of material developments - exploring poetry, calligraphy, and painting with Urushi lacquer or porcelain glaze techniques to reflect the rhythm of nature. Pao Hui and Tempelhaug mutually explore the essence of stoneware porcelain, paper, and lacquer, from which they each translate into abstract ceramic and lacquer paintings, as well as in the paper furniture.

Galerie kreo (Paris) will explore themes of materiality through the lens of technology. The gallery will present TRANSFORMERS by German industrial designer Konstantin Grcic. Within this collection, Konstantin reimagines the original purpose of a precision measuring device, typically utilized in the automotive industry. Konstantin bridges technological and industrial design techniques to create a collection of nine pieces - ceiling lights, floor lamps, tables, and consoles - meticulously crafted from sleek black or silver anodized aluminum.

Craft x Tech (Tokyo) ​ is a pioneering initiative founded by Hideki Yoshimoto / TANGENT with the curatorial direction of Maria Cristina Didero, aiming to bridge the gap between traditional Japanese craft and contemporary technology. Its inaugural exhibition opens in Tokyo in late May 2024, before traveling to DESIGN MIAMI.BASEL for Craft x Tech’s debut Curio. In a convergence of tradition and innovation, international creators were invited to create work inspired by six craft districts from Japan's Tohoku region. Among the highlight outcomes, Dutch creator Sabine Marcelis has worked with Akita artisans to infuse Kawatsura-Shikki lacquerware with contemporary vitality; while Ini Archibong, based in Switzerland, celebrates Tsugaru-Nuri lacquerware with a unique musical device.

MOMENTS IN DESIGN HISTORY.
Making its DESIGN MIAMI.BASEL debut, Maxime Flatry (Paris) will present an exhibition dedicated to the timeless legacy of Jean-Michel Frank. Primarily focusing on Frank’s quest to design a simplicity that involves essentializing forms and spaces, Maxime Flatry’s presentation will act as a tribute to the creator who has left an indelible mark on the arts and design landscape.

First-time exhibitor, Galerie Eva Presenhuber (Zurich/Vienna) will also present a solo exhibition dedicated to works by Franz West. West placed everyday items - from chairs and tables to coat racks and bookshelves - through his sculptural lens and approach to design. The presentation will spotlight how West challenged the way design is experienced and defined, through repositioning its interpretation as both a sculptural and social experience.

Galerie Downtown-LAFFANOUR (Paris) will celebrate icons of 20th century design, through a presentation focusing on the works by renowned ​ Jean Prouvé, Charlotte Perriand, Pierre Jeanneret and Serge Mouille. Galerie Patrick Seguin (Paris) will also recognise this significant era of design through a carefully curated exhibition of collectible works by Jean Prouvé, Charlotte Perriand, Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret and Jean Royère.

Pulp Galerie (Paris) will present an exhibition dedicated to the works of the late Gaetano Pesce, offering an impressive collection of early pieces, most of which have been acquired from the private collection of Dutch photographers Petra and Erik Esmerg, who shot many of Pesce’s works over his celebrated career. The booth scenography is inspired by an Italian garden, an invitation to visitors to promenade around the pieces as if viewing antique sculptures. Key highlight pieces include furniture first shown at the Centre Pompidou 1996 exhibition, Le temps des questions, including the Pratt chair n°7 and Sick (or Sikh) Cabinet, handmade by Gaetano Pesce himself for the exhibition.

BOUNDARY PUSHING DESIGN.
Friedman Benda (New York/Los Angeles) returns to DESIGN MIAMI.BASEL to present a setting showcasing the dynamism of neoteric voices, punctuated by keystone works from influential, established figures. The group installation will focus on sculptural works by eight visionary designers, including Ini Archibong, Wendell Castle, Enrico Marone Cinzano, Carmen D’Apollonio, Misha Kahn, Samuel Ross, Ettore Sottsass, and Barbora Žilinskaitė.

Ketabi Bourdet Design (Paris) will unite the work of Philippe Starck and Elizabeth Garouste under one exhibition. In 1969 the two designers, who were studying at École Camondo together at the time, decided to leave their studies to pursue their careers in design. Both designers stand at the epicenter of design as trailblazers in their own right; with two unique, and contrasting, styles: Starck, with a radical minimalist style, and Garouste, with her opulent and neo-baroque kitsch. Ketabi Bourdet will unite the diverging design principles of this long standing friendship into a celebration of these two iconic designers in their own right. From Glendale to Paris, 2022 by Carmen D'Apollonio from Friedman Benda at Design Miami Basel 2024 (Image credit - Evan Bedford)

193 Gallery (Paris) will present an original exhibition designed by Ben Arpea, titled Sphere, as part of the Curio program. The exhibition will explore the symbiosis between organic forms inspired by nature and everyday functionality. Each piece of the collection invites a dialogue between the natural environment and the living space in which the design resides: from the soft, curving lines of the Mediterranean shore, to the raw texture of wood and stone. Through boundary pushing craftsmanship and techniques, Arpea works with natural materials including wood, stone, concrete, marble, travertine, and ceramics, to carefully reveal the materials’ inherent beauty.