52 exhibitor presentations, including over 20 fresh faces Over 30 museum-quality works presented as part of Basel’s debut Podium exhibition, a curated, selling exhibition by Maria Cristina Didero around The Golden Age thematic This year saw the debut of the Special Satellite Projects program, including a large-scale Superblue installation Hybrid digital talks programme including livestreaming all in-person talks and a curated selection of exclusively digital talks online

Basel, June 21, 2022 - Design Miami/ returned to Basel last week for its 16th edition, seeing strong attendance and robust sales across the opening days. With 34 international gallery presentations and 18 Curio presentations, Design Miami/ Basel recorded pre-pandemic visitor attendance numbers across the week.

“Coming together again for Design Miami’s first June Basel fair since 2019, the energy on the show floor was palpable. We were delighted to again embrace a truly hybrid fair format, sharing this year’s presentations and programming with collectors and design enthusiasts around the world via our digital platforms, offering them a window into what has been a very successful week”. Jen Roberts, CEO of Design Miami/.

Curated by this year’s Curatorial Director Maria Cristina Didero, the Basel fair saw the introduction of the Podium exhibition concept, a curated selling exhibition that is currently available to shop online at www.designmiami.com. The exhibition responded to the 2022 curatorial theme of The Golden Age, exploring this idea as a metaphorical concept, shared across cultures through time and space. Often invoked as an imaginary, past time of prosperity, Didero’s interpretation of the The Golden Age theme aspired to give hope and inspiration, imagining a brighter future for human beings and our planet.

GALLERY HIGHLIGHTSAcross this year’s gallery program, historical works were standout with many institutional quality pieces presented. Highlights included a prototype Moon Lamp by Gio Ponti showcased by Rossella Colombari. The piece was originally created for the Triennale in Milan in 1957. At Galerie Jacques Lacoste, the Parisian gallery presented a series of exquisite and rare works by French designer Jean Royére including the Anneaux dining table and Anneaux console in orange and black painted metal and opaline glass (c.1959).

Morentz gallery debuted at Design Miami/ Basel with an impressive presentation of 20th century work from European, American and Brazilian designers. With an incredibly thoughtful booth design, the pieces were curated to create the feel of an exquisite home - at the center was a fireplace designed in 1959 by Italian design collective B.B.P.R.

Amongst the contemporary works on show, Friedman Benda’s solo showcase of New York designer Misha Kahn’s work presented new works from his best-known series—Saturday Morning, Scrappy, Rock, Claymation—alongside recently-established methodologies, such as VR. Anchoring Kahn’s exhibition was a large-scale mohair rug, titled A Few Loose Ends. This dual-sided work belongs to a series of unique tapestries and carpets designed by Kahn and handwoven by Stephens Tapestry of Johannesburg and Eswatini.

Paris-based Galerie kreo presented a number of impressive new works at Design Miami/ Basel including QUOBUS 2,4,6 TWO-COLOURED by designer Marc Newson and the Signal R Polychromatic reading light by Edward Barber & Jay Osgerby. While at Carpenters Workshop Gallery the monolithic Constellation CO80 table in Red Persian Travertine by Beirut-based design duo David/Nicolas was a standout amongst the gallery’s presentation. From the designer’s Constellation series, CO80 is made of three travertine slabs connected by silvered brass zig-zag joints, hemispherical shapes cut out of the tables’ legs rotate from leg to leg, mirroring the lunar cycle.

CURIO PROGRAM/This year’s Design Miami/ Basel saw 18 Curios present works that explore and push the boundaries of design and highlight new interpretations of traditional ideas. 16 of this year’s Curios were exhibiting in Basel for the first time, offering a unique perspective on contemporary and historic design.

Italian architect Stefano Trapani exhibited at Design Miami/ Basel for the first time with a series of works entitled The Essence of Experience, showcased within a stunning architecturally designed booth. The installation began with a passageway composed of uneven arches that were representative of the elements of life and experience gained during each person’s artistic and emotional journey. Amongst the work was the beautiful Charles Dix desk, a contemporary interpretation of an antique 18th century desk from the Biedermeier period. The rare white ebony of the desk has a strong black grain that looks almost like black ink drawings across the veneer.

Singapore-based Particle’s presented VELENI by design duo Lanzavecchia + Wai, an exploration of how humans continue to pollute the water we drink, the food we eat, and the air we breathe. The Curio served as a reminder of our problematic relationship with the poisons we produce: the polluting substances in VELENI are beautiful – reminding us that poisons can be as fascinating as they are harmful, as intriguing as they are dangerous, as attractive as they are repellent – but are always lethal. The objects were presented in an empty booth: a white canvas on which their messages emerged loudly. The Curio also offered a digital interaction with the objects through an augmented reality experience.

FAINA’s award-winning Curio presented a particularly timely presentation, entitled Stepping on Ukrainian soil. At the center of the Curio, Ukrainian-born designer Victoria Yakusha presented a handwoven, two-and-a-half-meter tapestry titled Zemlia (Ukrainian for “earth”), presented alongside a series of primitive benches and stools in the form of fictitious animals, each sculpted by hand. The tapestry’s rich, layered texture is reminiscent of Ukrainian, black-colored soil.

"For us Ukrainians, the connection to our earth is umbilical, vital. Our land has never been just a territory for us. It’s a source of power. Earth is alive. She sees, she feels, she carries the memory of our ancestors. I don’t feel like I design my pieces, my designs choose me to give a material form to certain messages. I wanted the viewer to feel the power of earth when seeing the tapestry. Emotions, reflections, tears have been here throughout the week”. Victoria Yakusha, Founder of FAINA.

PODIUM/This year saw the debut edition of Podium in Basel, a selling exhibition of over 30 exceptional, museum-quality works, curated by Maria Cristina Didero in response to her chosen theme for this year: The Golden Age.

“It was engaging and exciting to curate Basel's debut Podium exhibition around the theme The Golden Age, with objects that were strongly able to speak for themselves. I was delighted to experience the conversations that the unique stories behind each of these rare and wonderful pieces sparked amongst the visitors”. Maria Cristina Didero, Curatorial Director of Design Miami/

The rare Water Lillies Bowl (1955) by Pierre Paulin presented by Pascal Cuisinier is one of the most iconic pieces from the designer's works in this period with only two or three ever produced. Marie Piselli’s TIPI: Let Light Be lamp was illuminated in the colors of the Ukrainian flag, in a sign of solidarity with Ukrainians both at home and abroad. The nature inspired Millefiori lamps by Joy de Rohan Chabot, presented by Galerie Chastel-Maréchal, recalled imaginary gardens and a dreamy childhood. HazeVessel by we+ explore the impact of human activities on the earth, utilizing discarded wire collected in Tokyo to turn into delicate vessels. Galleria Rossella Colombari presented a pair of stackable single beds (1953-1954) by Carlo Mollino, an eclectic and central figure in the international design scene, reflecting the designer’s obsession with aesthetics and efficiency.

BEST IN SHOW AWARDS/Best Gallery: MorentzExhibiting for the first time at Design Miami/ Basel, Netherlands-based Morentz has won the Best Gallery Presentation award. According to advisor Simon Andrews, “Their skillfully curated, atmospherically staged installation of rare and diverse works celebrates the very best of international mid-century design, intuitively uniting Nordic, Italian, American, and Brazilian expressions.”

Best Curio: FAINA GalleryThe award for Best Curio Presentation goes to Ukrainian-born, Belgian-based designer Victoria Yakusha of FAINA Gallery. Her Stepping on Ukrainian Soil installation features a two-and-a-half-meter handwoven tapestry that symbolizes the deep, unbreakable connection between Ukrainians and the soil of their homeland.

Best Historic Object: Office Set of Pierre Poutout, 1970, presented by Galerie Meubles et Lumières

The fair’s Best Historic Object award winner is a suite of office furniture designed by Pierre Poutout, presented by Galerie Meubles et Lumières in Paris. According to architect Lee Mindel, “This low slung office suite—three chairs, a console, and a Calder-shaped desk—is an historic reminder of 1970s-era, avant-garde French architecture. The desk is anchored to the floor only by a flat steel plate. The comfortable chairs have a gyroscope base that adjusts to any position. Each piece is an engineering feat that appears to defy gravity. And the ensemble is a gesamtkunstwerk that celebrates the integration of design and architecture.

Best Contemporary Object: Planet by Astrid Krogh, 2021, presented by Galerie Maria Wettergren

Architect Lee Mindel explains: “From a land where light can be either overabundant or totally scarce, Krogh has created an abstract expression of the science and art of the universe. Made of gold leaf, silver, platinum, aluminum, and fiber optics—with its sweeping flux of moving light and various vibrating surfaces—Krogh’s Planet is a pulsating feast for the eyes.”

DESIGN TALKS/The Design Miami/ Basel 2022 talks programme explored the intersectional nature of design. The programme was curated by Maria Cristina Didero, who also invited three guest curators to present their own talks in person at the fair: Anne-Laure Pingreoun, Founder of Alter-Projects; Adam Štěch, Editor and Curator; and curator Libby Sellers.

Embracing a hybrid format, all in-person talks were live-streamed, and a curated selection of exclusively digital talks were also released on the Design Miami website, offering an online window into the diverse discussions, questions and insights explored at this year’s Basel fair.

The program of recorded talks is now online at www.designmiami.com.

SPECIAL SATELLITE PROJECTS AND PARTNER COLLABORATIONS/As part of the Special Satellite Program, V Over M digital presented 100 newly minted Chromie Squiggles by Snow-fro (Erick Calderon) in a unique, free-standing cube installation designed by digital printing specialists, Infinite Objects. The 100 works presented in Basel were from the May 2022 Mint of 310 Chromie Squiggles executed with V Over M digital, the largest portion of Chromie Squiggles to be minted since public minting was paused in January 2021. This was also the first time that Chromie Squiggles have been minted for an exhibition at a global contemporary art and design venue, fostering engagement between fine art, design, and digital collecting audiences.

Milan-based Galleria Antonella Villanova’s Special Satellite highlighted the work of Diego Cibelli, presenting a selection of pieces from his series Meditation in an Emergency, which was first conceived in 2020 during the pandemic. The three, one-of-a-kind thrones made entirely of ceramics, through the assemblage of over 50 crafted elements for each piece, explored the dynamics of rituality and authority in both private and public spheres.

At Design Miami/ Basel, the National Gallery of Victoria acquired one of Cibelli’s thrones for the permanent collection. Senior Curator of Contemporary Art, Design, and Architecture Ewan McEoin said “It was great to be back at Design Miami / Basel after not traveling for so long. It was a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with colleagues, be inspired and keep up to date with collectible design. Acquiring new work for the NGV collection is always a highlight of these trips. There is nothing like seeing new, ambitious design works in the flesh”.

The Art and Culture Development Foundation of the Republic of Uzbekistan presented at Design Miami/ Basel for the first time with an exhibition entitled Object of Architecture, serving as the international unveiling of its new Center for Contemporary Art. The renovation of a historic building in Tashkent by French Studio KO is due to open in 2023. Joseph Walsh returned to Design Miami/ Basel, presenting an assemblage of works titled Material Culture.

Downstairs, visitors were greeted by an immersive installation presented by Superblue, who returned to Design Miami/ Basel for the second year, taking over the 2500sqm ground floor event hall of the Messeplatz. Pulse Topology, the latest artwork by pioneering Mexican-Canadian artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer’s from the ongoing Pulse Series. Composed of 6,000 lightbulbs suspended at different heights, custom-made pulse sensors recorded visitor heartbeats; as a new participant interacted with the installation each lightbulb glimmered to the pulse.

Audi Germany was also present at this year’s fair as a partner for the all-electric shuttle service around Basel. In the entrance to the Messeplatz, guests to the fair were also able to view the Audi e-tron GT quattro, which shows how electric mobility is becoming dynamic and fascinating through the Audi brand’s passion for details.

Design Miami/ Basel 2022 Galleries/BABS Art Gallery, Milan ​Carpenters Workshop Gallery, London/Paris/NYC ​Caterina Tognon, Venice ​Dansk Møbelkunst, Copenhagen ​DIMORE GALLERY, Milan ​Friedman Benda, NYC ​Galleria Rossella Colombari, Milan ​Galleria Antonella Villanova, Foiano Della Chiana ​Galerie Chastel-Maréchal, Paris ​Galerie DOWNTOWN - François Laffanour, Paris ​Galerie Eric Philippe, Paris ​Galleri Feldt, Copenhagen ​Galerie Jacques Lacoste, Paris ​Galerie kreo, Paris ​Galerie Matthieu Richard, Paris ​Galerie Meubles et Lumières, Paris ​Galerie Mitterrand, Paris ​Galerie Negropontes, Paris ​Galerie Pascal Cuisinier, Paris ​Galerie Patrick Seguin, Paris ​Galerie Philippe Gravier, Paris ​Galerie SCENE OUVERTE, Paris ​Gokelaere & Robinson, Knokke/Paris/Brussels ​Guelfucci Gallery, Berlin ​Hostler Burrows, NYC ​Jousse Entreprise, Paris ​Lebreton, Paris ​Maria Wettergren, Paris ​Morentz Gallery, Waalwijk ​MOUVEMENTS MODERNES, Paris ​Pierre Marie Giraud, Brussels ​Thomas Fritsch-ARTRIUM, Paris ​Thomsen Gallery, NYC ​Todd Merrill Studio, NYC Design Miami/ Basel 2022 Curios/

193 Gallery, Paris ​20C Gallery, Shanghai ​Carpenters Workshop Gallery, London/ NYC/ Paris ​co/rizom, Vienna ​Garrido Gallery, Madrid ​Eclecticó Studio, Bucharest ​FAINA Gallery, Antwerp ​Galerie MICA X LAB, St. Gregoire ​Ivan Baj, Bolzano ​Marie Piselli, Paris ​Particle, Singapore ​Paul Bourdet Fine Furniture, Paris ​Rademakers Gallery, Amsterdam ​Sèvres, Paris ​Stefano Trapani SRLS, Paris ​we+,Tokyo ​WKND Lab, Seoul ​Yasmine Mahmoudieh, London Design Miami/ Basel 2022 Podium/ Exhibitors

Galerie Eric Philippe, Paris ​Friedman Benda, NYC ​Galleri Feldt, Copenhagen ​Galerie SCENE OUVERTE, Paris ​Galleria Antonella Villanova, Foiano Della Chiana ​Galerie Chastel-Maréchal, Paris ​Lebreton, Paris ​Maria Wettergren, Paris ​Galerie Meubles et Lumières, Paris ​Galerie Pascal Cuisinier, Paris ​Galleria Rossella Colombari, Milan ​Thomas Fritsch-ARTRIUM, Paris ​Morentz Gallery, NYC ​Gokelaere & Robinson, Belgium ​Galerie MICA X LAB, St. Gregoire ​we+,Tokyo ​Marie Piselli, Paris ​co/rizom, Vienna ​Ivan Baj, Bolzano ​Garrido Gallery, Madrid Special Satellite Projects/

The Art and Culture Development Foundation of the Republic of Uzbekistan​Galleria Antonella Villanova ​Joseph Walsh Studio ​Superblue ​V Over M Schedule of Events/

Preview Day/ By Invitation Only ​Monday, June 13/ ​Collector’s Preview/ 12-6 PM ​VIP Preview/ 6-8 PM Public Show Days/

Tuesday, June 14/ 11 AM - 8 PM ​Wednesday, June 15/ 11 AM - 8 PM ​Thursday, June 16/ 11 AM - 7 PM ​Friday, June 17/ 11 AM - 7 PM ​Saturday, June 18/ 11 AM - 7 PM ​Sunday, June 19/ 11 AM - 7 PM