PAD Paris: Preview
On April 5th, PAD Paris opens its doors for 5 days of modern and contemporary decorative arts, design, and craft. TLmag previews some of highlights to expect at this esteemed fair.
Housed in a long white tent in Paris’s Jardin des Tuileries, PAD Paris, has always been a highly anticipated springtime fair in the design and decorative arts circuit. After a three-year pause due to the pandemic, the fair is back this year with renewed vigour and an engaging program that features 69 exhibitors – 18 of whom are new. Franco-Portuguese decorators Artur Miranda and Jacques Bec, alias Oitoemponto, were commissioned to design Studio PAD, a living room / meeting spot at the entrance to the fair for exhibitors and visitors. The duo have created a glamourous 1970s meets Brazilian tropical vibe through features such as rounded walls, white carpeting and iconic pieces such as Pierre Paulin’s banquette along with plants and rosewood from Rio. The fair’s Elle Deco café has been decorated by interior designer Sandra Benhamou. Her soft, nature-inspired café includes rattan furniture, wall paper by Jennifer Shorto and a unique teak and burlap bar.
While French galleries dominate the fair, expect to see Galerie Kreo, Galerie BSL, Yves Gastou and Mouvement Modernes, there are several new exhibitors are from elsewhere, such as Spazio Nobile Gallery, (Brussels), Modern Shapes (Antwerp), Achille Salvagni (UK & Italy), and jewellery artist Neha Dani (USA).
As always, expect an eclectic yet beautifully curated range of objects – from jewellery to modernist furniture to sumptuous art déco pieces to original drawings and paintings. French jeweller, Walid Akkad will feature a selection of his handcrafted pieces, including the limited edition, “Volutes”, a red gold and tsavorites bracelet. Berlin’s amman gallery will feature photographs by London-based artist Hélène Binet in dialogue with work by Mexican designers Ad Hoc and ceramics by Abel Zavala, among others. Milan-based gallery, Rossella Colombari, will be present with some top pieces by artists such as Carlo Molino, Gio Pinte, Ico Parisi, and a hand painted screen by Piero Fornasetti. Newcomer, Christophe Dupouy, who has had a gallery at the Saint-Ouen flea market Paul Bert for over 10-years, will bring work that reflects his specialisation in 1960s design including lighting by Gio Sarfatti, Angelo Lelli and pieces by Sottsass and Philolaos Tloupas. Willy Rizzo Studio, another newcomer to the fair and based between Switzerland and France, presents lesser-known design pieces by the Italian-born Rizzo (1928-2013), known more for his photography than furniture, which he began designing in 1970.
Look out for Ceramics Now, the Paris-based project, which will bring a selection of contemporary ceramic artists including Claire Linder and Wa design, the Paris-based gallery specialised in 1950s-60s Japanese design.
PAD Paris’s strength lies in its immersive aesthetic where collectors, decorators and casual viewers can imagine new possibilities and ideas for their home while expanding their knowledge about decorative arts, design and art.
PAD Paris is on from 5 -10 April 2022
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