'It's about Mixing and Matching': The New York Design Fair

NEW YORK CITY

:"It's about mixing and matching," exclaimed Meg Wendy moments after a large crowd rushed into the 67th Street Armory for the premier New York Design Fair's gala benefit preview on February 9. "There is a good offering here of not only antiques, but also contemporary. That is what the new concept for this show is all about, showing people that they can mix and match the different styles, that it is okay to take antiques and put them in a modern setting."

The large crowd on hand for the opening night gala was a solid mixture of young and old collectors. Many who were in attendance did not seem to be "antiques" people, nor did they seem to resemble the shopper cruising the upscale contemporary galleries. A large number were on hand to support the benefactor of the preview party, Project A.L.S., which raises money to find a cure for Lou Gehrig's disease, but all seemed to be interested in the varied merchandise that ranged from pre-Colombian and ancient Egyptian artifacts to pieces so fresh to the market that the paint was barely dry.

The concept worked well for the inaugural fair, which opened to the public on February 10 for a four-day run, and as the crowds began to fill the aisles, there was a definite energy in the air that was being detected from both the dealers and the patrons.

Another new and interesting concept being featured by Wendy Management was the lavishly decorated foyer into the exhibition hall. Decked out completely in white flowing fabrics, the entranceway added an air of elegance to the show. As visitors passed the front doors they were greeted with yet another new feature to the show, an exhibition space with a nice display of chairs ranging from Eighteenth Century examples to cutting-edge contemporary. While many promoters have used this space for mini-exhibitions, Wendy Management, working in concert with participating dealer and Wendy's new creative director Lou Marotta, incorporated dealers' merchandise into the display.

"Doesn't it look wonderful," Diane Wendy accurately declared as the show was about to open. Each chair was labeled with a full description, the dealer's name and a price. The rear wall of the show was similarly used with Mr Marotta mirroring his elegant foyer display.

"It's all about style and design," stated Meg Wendy as she looked out over the show. "We are showing people that they have the flexibility to do anything, but mostly to have fun with their living environment, and that is what this is all about, having fun."

The show certainly carried forth a flavor of fun and excitement and many of the dealers were extremely enthusiastic. "This concept is wonderful," stated Marion Harris, who was able to bring along a mixture of items that she finds to be popular among the Park Avenue show buyers. "It allows us to bring a blend of contemporary and old," which the dealer had artfully intermingled throughout her booth.

The frontispiece for her booth was a large black and white manipulated digital print by Vancouver artist Davida Kidd. The dealer also offered a neat assortment of items that she has developed a strong following for, such as a monumental plaster bust of "Rosie the Riveter," a great set of Britians toy lead garden figures, and constructed composition music boxes by Jessica Gindstaff. The Britains set attracted attention from the onset and it included flowers gardens, stone walls and paths, trees, bird houses and this particular model had a wedding scene. Ms Harris commented that the garden pieces were only produced for a single year in 1938.

Devos and Giraud, with shops in Paris and Manhattan, had one of the more inviting booths in the show as the dealers featured the elegant Deco furniture of Andre Sornay mixed in among a myriad of sculpture. Michel Giraud commented that most of Sornay's pieces, executed in Oregon pine and accented with brass tacks, are unique examples. A strong Deco look is prevalent for the furnishings, although they lean toward Modernism at the same time. Among the Sornay pieces offered was a wonderful asymmetrical sideboard, a small corner stand, a pair of unique armchairs and an exquisite side chair that greeted patrons in the chair exhibit. Other furniture in the booth included several pieces of Giacometti wrought iron furniture with stick-form legs and glass tabletops, and an unusual planter. The dealer also offered a booth full of French sculpture by the likes of Alfred Janniot and Jean Lambert-Rucki.

New York City dealer KoKo was another to tastefully cross the antique/contemporary borders offering a pair of large stone foo lions from the Fourteenth Century and a Tang period terra-cotta horse alongside a mixture of antique and contemporary furnishings. The age of the furniture, for the most part, could easily be identified in the booth as the old pieces were decorated with antiques on top and around them while the new items, recently imported from China, sported contemporary interpretations of modernist pottery.

Blasmo Antiques of Pine Plains, N.Y., seemed to be having a very successful opening night with its architecturally oriented booth appealing to decorators and those looking to decorate. A large pair of classical urns were forefront in the display with a Continental high back settee behind them, both were in front of a set of four large arched windows that served as an attractive divider for the walk-thru booth.

Frates Fine Arts, Riverside, Conn., offered a stunning chinoiserie bar with rounded corners and a red japanned overall surface. The piece came complete with backbar panels and it was highlighted with a selection of Oriental prints and sculpture. Also in the booth was a pair of whimsical oversized armchairs from the 1940s that crossed several style boundaries, although a Modernist sense prevailed.

Art was noted in a couple booths with Birnam Wood Gallery featuring a nice Hayley Lever oil entitled "Mevagissey, Cornwall" and also a Robert Morse Shurtleff oil, 1910, that had local appeal and was titled "A View of New York." The dealer also displayed a wall filled with woodblock prints by Arthur Segal that ranged from a Provincetown to a Moderne tone. Prices in the booth ranged from mid-five figures for the Lever to $400 for some of the Segal prints.

Another dealer that specialized in art, yet went the extra mile to introduce a contemporary flair into her booth, was Pascal Siblet Margenot of Fountainbleu Fine Art. The Rowayton, Conn., dealer mixed her art with a selection of furniture presented by mooremodern.com. "It was the best show I ever had," stated Ms Margenot, "A huge success. I sold 14 paintings at the show, two more have sold since and I still have five more presentations." Among the select offerings attracting attention from her booth was a Henry Milbourne oil titled "Crossing the River," and a Keuzo Okada minimalist beach scene.

Classic Modern and contemporary furniture offered from the booth included a stunning French blue lacquer desk by Jacques Leleu, circa 1960, with blue leather insert as a work surface on the top. The legs were in a gunmetal finish and the base and feet were brass. Also offered, and highlighted among the chair exhibit, was a leather chair designed by Swedish architect Gunnar Asplund that had originally been executed for the 1925 for the Paris Decorative Arts Exhibit in the Swedish Pavilion. The original chair had recently featured in the "Art Deco" exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. The re-edition chair offered at the show was circa 1980 and had been produced by Cassina. Another chair in the exhibition that came from the mooremodern.com booth was a bright orange molded plastic spiral chair by French artist Louis Durot, circa 1990.

Tony Victoria, Bridgehampton, N.Y., was another dealer to present a wide variety of merchandise. Items seen in the booth ranged from a Viennese Secessionist wardrobe in elm to an Art Deco sideboard in rosewood. The dealer also offered a Deco saber leg table in sycamore that was attributed to Alfred Chambon and priced at $18,500.

The feel of the show was upbeat and many in the Armory expressed anticipation for the return of The New York Design Fair.