Take 5: An Ode to Pluto, Floral Homage, Musical Maquettes + More

1. Sakura Vessels by Maarten Vrolijk

I’ve been enchanted by these fine art objects since I first saw them on view at Todd Merrill Studio in Manhattan. The Dutch artist Maarten Vrolijk and I share a particular fascination with some of nature’s most graphic and often temporal elements such as the flower. While the silhouettes are suggestive of buds on the cusp of blossoming, the compositions are far more conceptual than literal. Vrolijk’s sculptural glass vases are covered in organic abstractions, adornments of repurposed-glass shard outgrowths in full bloom. What’s more, the volatile hand-production process used to achieve these pieces yields a striking balance between substantial visual weight and transparency.

The Nonus Side Table + Nonus Wall Light by Kahen.design \\\ Photo: Peter Britt Favinger

2. Nonus Side Table + Wall Light by Kahen.design

Designed by Ryan Kahen, the Nonus Side Table and Wall Light beckon you to succumb to their gravitational pull, as do I. In an ode to Pluto – and for me, a defense of its former standing in our solar system – the collection explores the now dwarf planet’s unique characteristics including an eccentric orbit path and asymmetric center of mass, which inspire the furnishings’ striking balance within their minimal geometries. The table is fashioned from a pillar sliced at 17-degrees intersecting an elliptical top surface while the wall light mimics the dance shared between Pluto and its largest moon, Charon, as they hang in space.

The four Eine Kleine Chairs by Wang Yacht: Allegro, Romanze, Menuette, and Finale

3. Set of Four Miniature Eine Kleine Chairs by Wang Yichu

Artisan Wang Yichu distills Mozart’s iconic “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik” through furniture making to capture the classical composition’s four distinct movements in a series of maquettes identical to their full size. The collection comprises Allegro, Romanze, Menuette, and Finale, constructed from the woods walnut, ash, mahogany, and stained oak, respectively. Repetition, tempo, and intensity are translated into form and finish in a brilliant expression of musicality. I encourage you to rest for a moment with each piece and allow your brain to sit in the music while your eyes and ears forge new connections.

Installation view of the 5th Annual Head Hi Lamp Show. Lamps by (left to right, front table only): Hawa Al-Najjar; Alain Grossenbacher, AFG Objects; Gabriel Jewell-Vitale; Joelle McKenna, McKenna Studio; Pat Kim. \\\ Photo: Curtis Wallen; courtesy of Head Hi (Brooklyn, NY), 2024.

4. The Head Hi Lamp Show

This year marked the fifth anniversary edition of Head Hi’s lamp show during NYCxDESIGN 2024. Helmed by curator Alexandra Hodkowski and artist Alvaro Alcocer, the Brooklyn-based art and design organization, which specializes in publications and cultural programming, assembled a selection of laudable luminaries from campy to classy that represent a global spectrum of designers, craft, material, and price points. I was particularly delighted to happen upon a friend and former architecture school classmate’s entry in the showcase – go Gabe! – whose design mixes vintage milk glass with new, affordable stock parts for an accessible l’objet d’art.

The island, credenza, and oven vanity from Federica Zama’s Serendipity collection. \\\ Photo: Enrica Romagnoli

5. Serendipity Kitchen Collection by Federica Zama

Italians boast the ability to turn almost anything into an art object or creative practice – I’m aggressively proud of my heritage, clearly – as evidenced by multidisciplinary designer Federica Zama. Comprising a credenza, an island with storage, and the oven vanity, Serendipity is a romantic collection of unique home furnishings that tell a captivating love story. The movability of these traditionally built-in items is reflective of love’s impermanence just as their material palette comes together in a union of opposites that so clearly attract. Couples of any kind can catch a glimpse of themselves in any number of the mirrored surfaces that capture time spent together engaging with each piece.

With professional degrees in architecture and journalism, Joseph has a desire to make living beautifully accessible. His work seeks to enrich the lives of others with visual communication and storytelling through design. Previously a regular contributor to titles under the SANDOW Design Group, including Luxe and Metropolis, Joseph now serves the Design Milk team as their Managing Editor. When not practicing, he teaches visual communication, theory, and design. The New York-based writer has also contributed to exhibitions hosted by the AIA New York’s Center for Architecture and Architectural Digest, and recently published essays and collage illustrations with Proseterity, a literary publication.

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