Returning to the tents for preview day of Design Miami/ 2023 felt like another chunk of post-pandemic normalcy falling into place. I last attended the fair in 2019 and over the years it has become something of an early December ritual. The theme of the show Where We Stand, curated by Anna Carnick felt like an appropriate way to catch up with what’s currently going on in the collectible design market.

Carnick’s mission with Where We Stand was to spotlight design inspired by place, community and heritage. I already assumed before touring the show that it wasn’t going to include a lot of experimental, forward looking pieces, and that was pretty much the case. It also didn’t reflect an overall style and aesthetic direction.

This is part 1 of a photo walk around. It includes a mix of dozen galleries, curios and special projects. A few things that caught my eye were Dutch designer Nacho Carbonell’s One-Seater Concrete Tree and Growing Glass 2 at Carpenters Workshop Gallery. The large coral and barnacle like piece is constructed from concrete rubble, wire mesh and recycled glass.

Staying with the South Florida vibes were a set of large acrylic tables by the late Zaha Hadid at David Gill Gallery. Each of these long tables was CNC-milled from a single acrylic block and hand polished. Light refracting through the tables creates a shimmering, water-like effect on the ground.

Jason Jacques Gallery presented a roster of ceramic artists and designers within a stand composed of industrial shelving, steel utility carts, and sink shelves(early work from NYC-based architects LOT-EK). Many of the other stands in this set just stuck to white or painted drywall so this one really stood out.

Gucci owned Ginori 1735, the Italian luxury porcelain brand presented the fourth edition of Reborn Project curated by Frédéric Chambre. A roster of international artists, designers and architects created porcelain home furnishings and tableware exploring surface designs ranging from bold patterns to subtle color applications. The work was presented in space resembling a working pottery studio.

Also check out 2023 Design Miami/ | Part 2

Photos and Text: Dave Pinter