Plenty caught the eye at the most recent installment of Salon Art + Design, held in New York at the Park Avenue Armory on November 9–13. One of these highlights, the Magnolia Grandiflora chandelier, dramatically graced the entrance to the fair with its mélange of hand-forged iron and ethereal cotton blooms crafted by the atelier Cox London. Sinuous, natural forms distinguish another standout, Parisian glass artist Nathalie Ziegler-Pasqua’s monumental L’eau de la mirror. Part of the Twenty-First Gallery in New York’s showcase, it melds silvering glass from the historic Verrerie de Saint-Just with splashes of obsidian. Meanwhile, Paris architect and designer Charles Zana also made an impression with his assemblage of new collectibles, including the sleek, curving Rimbaud rocking chair fusing leather and steel and the funky Milos lamp pairing a silver travertine base with an ebony- and bronze-hued wicker shade.
Portola Paints celebrates milestone anniversary with designer collaborations
Family-owned Portola Paints turns 25 this year, and in honor of the occasion, the LA-based brand sought after for its weathered lime wash and plaster Roman clay finishes has tapped a few designer fans to join in on the fun. AD100 designers Brigette Romanek and Jake Arnold, as well as Amber Lewis, Leanne Ford, and Nickey Kehoe’s Todd Nickey and Amy Kehoe obliged, each creating a dedicated, which run the gamut from off-white Patagonia to moody gray Wellfleet to deep green Wishing Well. All are shoppable via the recently revamped Portola Paints website, which now offers e-commerce for the first time.
In the News
Remembering Maria Pergay
Maria Pergay, who died on October 31 at the age of 93, began designing original silver objects in the 1950s, paving the way to her pioneering use of stainless steel two decades later. Born in what is now Moldova, Pergay spent much of her life in France, where she caught the attention of Suzanne Demisch and Stéphane Danant, who befriended her well before opening their New York gallery specializing in 20th-century French design. “When we first stumbled upon Maria’s work, it was unlike anything we had ever seen before. Her creations possess this liveliness, which we later discovered was a reflection of her own distinctive personality,” says Demisch. “The pieces she brought to life throughout her career exude confidence, elegance, strength, imagination, and resilience all at once.”
In 2006, Demisch Danant, in collaboration with Lehmann Maupin Gallery, organized New Work, Pergay’s first exhibition in New York in more than 30 years, illuminating 15 new pieces. Pergay, says Demisch, “shared her profound joy in working with experienced silver craftsmen from older generations. Today, Maria herself stands as a guiding figure for emerging designers. Her ability to blur the lines between styles and eras will continue to serve as an enduring source of influence and aspiration to younger generations of creators.”
