The annals of history hold a mirror to desk design as it continues to evolve from literacy’s twilight through today. And like it or not – I don’t – we live in an era where home furnishings are designed in response to, or in adaptation of, technology with digital connectivity taking precedence over the art of living. The Samy Desk by Milena Denis Polania for Haymann Editions appears to be plucked from another timeline where the golden era of mid-century modernism was allowed to proliferate and corporations still seriously invested in their office aesthetics. The sweeping gesture boasts a polished sheen and high impact lacquered finish that is stunning in the light. What’s more, the delicately curved metallic belt around the base corresponds to the line created by a seemingly floating surface for a level of refinement unmatched by today’s smart desks.
Photo: Courtesy of Southern Guild
The creative practice of South African ceramicist Zizipho Poswa is almost alchemic in the way she commands water to transform her medium for large-scale bronze and glazed earthenware sculptures. Works like Cisakulo, which references decorative combs, are equal parts awe-inspiring and honorary, standing in testimony to the maker’s matrilineal heritage and – like water – the life-sustaining roles that Xhosa women continue to play in daily life. If you’re like me, art and spirituality are inextricably linked, but in this religion God is a woman.
Photo: Design Milk Staff
Raquel Pacchini’s Uneven wall wood rug happily debuts on the heels of textiles having returned to the zeitgeist as must-have pieces of wall-hung art. Designed for cross-cultural furniture company Woak, the artful objects – available in two compositions – play with visual perception through their interlocking slats that overlap in a game of Gestalt theory. Contrast and density conspire to distort how viewer’s register line weight, figure, and ground. Uneven makes for a great conversation piece as it straddles the line between art and design, instinctual and technical.
Photo: Design Milk Staff
Deceptively simple, the ADEI portable lamp by Baccaris is a mélange of luminescence, silhouette, and material personalities in constant flux flirting to find the perfect amount of tension to maintain a romantic design story. Opposites attract in a variety of moments: merlot marble against highly-reflective chrome; a thick base in contrast to thin metal detailing; and LED light technology with the tradition of portability. The shade is particularly beguiling, beckoning passersby to catch a glimpse of their reflection.
Photo: Courtesy of Rizzoli Bookstore
A part-time job as an assistant to the architecture librarian during my academic career as an undergraduate design student became a gateway drug to collecting periodicals and building a library of my own. Rows of books litter my shelves while stacks stand tall like end tables beside my sofa and bed. This soon-to-be-published title will be the first of its kind to fully explore the many forms Desert Modernism has taken. From homes to hotels and gas stations to airports, as well as restaurants, retail spaces, banks, and spas, I look forward to taking a journey through a unique tradition oft overlooked by the general public.
