IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2013 - 18
Are there trends you see developing in the
decorative arts and design world? What's new?
One thing we're seeing is that a lot of the galleries
are changing their programs a bit. In the early days
of SOFA, you had very medium-specific galleries-
a glass gallery next to a wood gallery next to a
textile gallery next to a ceramics gallery. Now you
have a lot more galleries with mixed-material
programs. They're showing work that uses a lot
of different materials, because that's how their
collectors are acquiring work and displaying it in
their homes. A lot more people are seeing the value
of cross-fertilization of materials and genres. What
we're also seeing is a mix of materials within the
artists themselves. You see a glass artist working
with a video artist, for example, which is very new.
casting, they're using so many different new
techniques. In terms of ceramics, there's a rich
tradition that the form hasn't evolved past,
as much; they're hand-building, they're throwing.
But they're also doing more with glazes, and I think
at this year's fair, you'll see some really innovative
things happening with ceramics. For example,
the Lacoste Gallery from Concord, Mass., is bring
a young artist named Colby Parsons, who's making
wall ceramics with video projections on them. That
mix of materials is really exciting, and changing
the perception of clay as a material that's not as
interactive as these pieces will be.
Speaking of young artists, this year's SOFA
is featuring students from five design programs
from the U.S. and Scotland.
It's something new for the fair's 20th year. Our
motto this year is that we don't want to rest on our
laurels. And it's really important to reflect not only
on where we've been but where we're going.
So we're highlighting what's happening in these
schools in art and design-how it's incorporating
new technology, new techniques, new visions for
the future. Five schools will be creating 567-foot
design environments that include visual and audio
elements. Their only charge was to create a space
that had seating and lighting, and that promoted
what the students were doing. The University of
Iowa is doing a space inspired by one of Leonardo
da Vinci's drawings. The University of California
at Davis is bringing a version of a site-specific
space they've been working on at their campus.
The Pratt Institute is bringing a multidimensional
environment using recycled materials, including
draped fabric panels and architectural elements
from the city of Chicago. The Illinois Institute of
Technology has been working on a revamping
of Miller Beach near Gary, Ind., and are using
landscape architecture elements from that project.
The University of Edinburgh and the Edinburgh
College of Art-those two have merged-is
bringing the applied arts, wearable sculpture from
their jewelry and silversmithing department.
I think people think of the decorative arts as the
domain of very experienced artists and artisans,
the older the better. What does a young designer
bring to the table?
Well, they're obviously aware of the history of their
mediums, but they're interpreting it in new ways.
In that sense, we're hoping to be a window onto the
future. It's true, too, that we don't show historical
objects at SOFA; we're all about showcasing the
work of contemporary, living artists.
Many of whom are present at the fair, usually.
Hundreds of them, yes. Patrons are able to
engage with them directly, and that will include
the students and their faculty advisors.
18
Right: The University
of Iowa's branded
design environment
was inspired by
a da Vinci drawing
of a storm cloud. The
space features seating
forms abstracted from
the drawings, lighting
and audio elements.
Following pAge:
The Pratt Institute
multidimensional
environment takes
its cue from the iconic
art and architecture
of Chicago itself.
The Brooklyn-based
Pratt Institute was
the winning team out
of the five schools that
participated in the
CONNECT competition.
In addition to the
study of Anish Kapoor's
reflective Cloud Gate
sculpture in
Millennium Park, the
design environment
featured imagery of
some of Chicago's most
iconic structures, such
as Marina City, the
Aqua Tower and Navy
Pier's Ferris wheel,
illustrated through
abstract floral and
geometric patterns.
To what extent are interior designers taking
advantage of SOFA?
There are a lot of interior designers who bring
their clients to the fair. Last year, for example,
a woman and her designer walked into the show
in the morning, saw a piece right at the main
entrance, and fell in love with it. Both the designer
and the collector were new to the fair; they'd just
heard about it and decided to come in. And we
always have panels with interior designers
and editors at interior design publications talking
about how they find things at the fair.
Do interior designers come to the fair looking
for what's new, to introduce to their clients?
For sure. That's the feedback we're hearing-that
it's an excellent place to find new work and new
artists. And because there are so many artists on
the floor at the fair, they can really engage in some
very worthwhile discussions about commissions.
We know there's a lot of site-specific work
commissioned during SOFA.
A lot of deals going on.
You bet.
What else is new at this year's fair?
My goal is to continue on with the founding
mission statement and goals for the fair. Beyond
that, we'll also be highlighting a number of
curators, critics and designers that we've reached
out to, and they will be making their picks, working
in advance to identify the pieces and artists they
find most intriguing, and those pieces will be
identified at the fair. So we'll have curator picks,
critic picks, designer picks. If you don't know, say,
[New York-based interior designer] Kara Mann,
this will be a way to engage with her, and walking
through the fair you'll go, "Oh, she liked that piece.
Maybe I should engage with her for our home."
It's a way of linking critics, designers and collectors
in an interesting way that's new.
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2013
Contents
IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2013 - Cover1
IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2013 - Cover2
IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2013 - 1
IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2013 - 2
IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2013 - Contents
IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2013 - 4
IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2013 - 5
IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2013 - 6
IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2013 - 7
IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2013 - 8
IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2013 - 9
IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2013 - 10
IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2013 - 11
IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2013 - 12
IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2013 - 13
IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2013 - 14
IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2013 - 15
IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2013 - 16
IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2013 - 17
IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2013 - 18
IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2013 - 19
IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2013 - 20
IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2013 - 21
IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2013 - 22
IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2013 - 23
IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2013 - 24
IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2013 - 25
IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2013 - 26
IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2013 - 27
IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2013 - 28
IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2013 - 29
IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2013 - 30
IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2013 - 31
IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2013 - 32
IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2013 - 33
IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2013 - 34
IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2013 - 35
IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2013 - 36
IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2013 - 37
IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2013 - 38
IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2013 - 39
IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2013 - 40
IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2013 - 41
IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2013 - 42
IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2013 - 43
IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2013 - 44
IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2013 - 45
IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2013 - 46
IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2013 - 47
IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2013 - 48
IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2013 - 49
IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2013 - 50
IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2013 - 51
IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2013 - 52
IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2013 - 53
IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2013 - 54
IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2013 - 55
IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2013 - 56
IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2013 - Cover3
IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2013 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/perspective_2019fallwinter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/perspective_2019summer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/perspective_2019spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/perspective_2018fallwinter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/perspective_2018summer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/perspective_2018spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/perspective_2017fallwinter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/perspective_2017springsummer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/perspective_2016fallwinter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/perspective_2016springsummer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/perspective_2015fallwinter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/perspective_2015springsummer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/perspective_2014fallwinter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/perspective_2014springsummer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/perspective_2013fallwinter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/perspective_2013springsummer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/perspective_2012fallwinter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/perspective_2012springsummer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/perspective_2011fallwinter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/perspective_2011springsummer
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com