Design Days Dubai 2015.

Jan Kath Rug Collection presented by Iwan Maktabi // Jan Kath presented his carpets with local partner Iwan Maktabi. The Fatema Bint Mohammed Initiative (FBMI), based in Adu Dhabi, is running a project offering women in the weaving industry employment and training, the latter involving the weaving of Afghan style rugs using Afghan wool. Combining entrepreneurship and sustainability, FBMI’s stand featured demonstrations of traditional weaving.

Related post: Highlights from Maison & Objet 2015.

Photo by Barrett Hanrahan.

Liminal Vessels by Lindsey Adelman // The liminal collection is about the threshold between consciousness and unconsciousness, and also refers to the place between the bronze and glass. The state between liquid and solid, referring to both metal and glass, alludes to the place where two people meet and collaborate. Glass artists Michiko Sakano blows directly into Darcy Miro’s metal sculptures to create a fused vessel.

Lumière by Victor Hunt // The Lumière Pendant Lamp appropriates contemporary projector technology while paying homage to the pioneers of the medium. The double meaning of Lumière – referring to both the French word for light and the inventors who popularised modern cinema – reflects its dual function. Acting alone, each lamp lights up through the projection of moving images on the inner surface of the glass bulb. Acting in multiples they orchestrate into a cinematic spectacle.

Modern Arabesque by Nada Debs // A seating collection reminiscent of mid-century design that marries modern form with exquisite craftsmanship; Arabesque Modern’s natural motif is perforated from African walnut.

PRECIOSA Lighting by René Roubíček // Sculpture by Rene Roubicek, is a new one of a kind creation that revisits two world EXPOs in 1958 and 1967. Jointly created with the skilful craftsmen in Preciosa, it artfully combines tradition and vision, two indispensable characteristics typical for Bohemian glass.

Roubicek’s latest work symbolises liberation of glass from centuries of being strictly defined by a given, expected form, adding a new dimension: space. It is ideological key and historical milestone in the world of art glass. This is the reason why Rene Roubicek is even today able to evoke imagination with his work among all who are able to appreciate timeless beauty of Bohemian glass.

Image courtesy of Wiener Silber.

Loa Vases by Zaha Hadid, manufactured by Wiener Silber // The “Loa” and “Vesu” vases express a powerful dynamic through their intricate surface complexity. Informed by the volcanic forces of expansion and compression that have generated the subtle fluctuations and distortions of ripples enveloping their surface, the vases’ sculptural sensibility conveys a characteristic solidity, yet reveals their origin from a fluid state. Surface reflections amplify this perception, adding depth and complexity from the colours and light of their context.

LQ-P-Chandelier by Hani Rashid // With his contemporary chandelier design, the renowned architect and artist Hani Rashid presents his personal interpretation of the historic candelabrum. ‘LQ’ a humorous reference of the New York architect to Louis Quatorze, the Sun King, alludes to the exuberance of the chandeliers of former times and translates it for use in contemporary projects.

Photo courtesy of Crafts Council.

Tropical Noire collection of Sculptural Vessels by Simone Brewster for Crafts Council // These pieces have been crafted out of a mix of tulipwood and stacked birch plywood and have been sculpted employing traditional hand lathing. Each item displays a distinct characteristic linking back to its inspiration, which sought to combine organic forms within nature with that of totemic statues and traditional Grecian and African containers. The resulting objects redolently echo Sub Saharan African sculpture and colonial artifacts, whilst remaining contemporary in their confident translation and application to geometric figures.

The Sound Therapist by S-H-A-N // Beijing-based design duo S-H-A-N have launched their Hi-Fi loudspeaker brand “The Sound Therapist”. The first series, called “Memory Recovery”, is an attempt to help people recover lost memories. Handcrafted using traditional Chinese Sŭn Măo structures to connect each piece of wood, the shells of the speakers have been made without any screws, maintaining the integrity of the wood for perfect harmony.