Frank Lloyd Wright Basis Unveils New Institute, David Adjaye Receives a Prestigious Award, and Extra Information
This week, New York City’s largest art museum shared that it is undertaking a 15,000 square-foot renovation of its Ancient Near Eastern and Cypriot Art galleries. The project aims to open up the space—currently spread across 11 galleries—to create a more engaging experience, while adding a place for contemporary discourse. “The Met’s collections of art from ancient West Asia and Cyprus are among the most comprehensive of its kind in the United States, spanning 10,000 years of art and history,” said Daniel H. Weiss, president and CEO of the museum, in a press statement. “With our stewardship of this heritage comes an institutional responsibility, which we welcome, to provide our wide audience with a way to appreciate the material that is contemporary and accessible.” The renovation will be helmed by NADAAA architects with the help of Moody Nolan. Their plans include creating architectural backdrops with materials such as clay, copper, bronze, and lapis lazuli. The new galleries are scheduled to open in 2025.
A rendering of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s new plans for the Ancient Near Eastern gallery.
Rendering by NADAAA; graphic design by Morcos KeyOpenings
Burberry Stages a Striking Rodeo Drive Takeover
Those who are familiar with Burberry’s iconic Los Angeles flagship may no longer be quick to recognize the once neutrally-toned building. On February 10, the fashion house debuted a bubbly pink, white, and black facade, studded with amorphous shapes in honor of their 2022 Spring/Summer collection. Themed “Animal Instincts,” the installation is meant to blur the line between fantasy and reality. The story continues inside with an immersive exhibition featuring films, sculptural photography, and more. The installation will be up until March 7.
Business
IMC to Acquire Shoppe Object
International Market Centers—the company responsible for industry staples including High Point Market—announces its latest acquisition: Shoppe Object, the design-focused lifestyle and home brand with annual trade shows and a growing e-commerce platform. The shift comes along with the announcement of Shoppe Object’s cofounder, Jesse James, joining IMC as president. IMC remains the largest operator of showroom space in the industry.
Product Launches
Arte Unveils Its Latest Collection in Collaboration with Moooi
One of two collections in Arte’s Spring 2022 introductions, the Memento Moooi Collection draws inspiration from Moooi’s Museum of Extinct Animals, just as the collaborators’ inaugural collection did in 2019. Continuing the narrative, the latest launch includes six wall coverings featuring five extinct animals. But even more fantastical than its muses are the materials that bring the designs to life (in 2D form, at least): Pleated paper, gold foil, sisal, wood veneer, and textiles work together to conjure the collection’s tactile patterns and amusing scenics.
Lars Nilsson Turns to Clovers for His Latest Design Collaboration
Fashion designer turned design Renaissance man Lars Nilsson is out with his latest line of textiles. Timed just in time and part of Stockholm Design Week, the table linen and upholstery collection for heritage brand Klässbols presents clovers strewn across a delicate, diamond-patterned backdrop. With auspicious patterns like these, customers might just catch a healthy dose of luck.
