Now in its 6th edition, Design Days Dubai (14th –17th March 2017), the Middle East and South Asia’s annual fair dedicated to collectible modern and contemporary design works held in partnership with the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, will present a cross-section of international design with 125 designers represented by 50 exhibitors and over 350 works from 39 countries, alongside innovative premieres and special projects.
This year, in support of the UK-UAE Year of Creative Collaboration, the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority, the Emirate’s dedicated authority for Arts, Culture and Heritage, will host an exhibition of British contemporary design with Design Days Dubai. Curated by Suzanne Trocmé, award-winning designer/author/curator, ‘Britain Takes Shape’ will feature the work of 10 pioneers of British design.
Design Days Dubai has established a reputation as a far-reaching international platform and this year welcomes debut exhibitors like Leclaireur (Paris/LA), Territoire(s) (Paris/Dubai) and Todd Merrill Studio (NYC) bringing with them a range of highly-collectible contemporary creations from important American and European designers.
These include headline-grabbing Middle Eastern premieres suitable for either residential or commercial installation: ‘Metamorphosis’ bronze collection by pioneering French designer and Maître d'Art Pierre Bonnefille (Maître d'Art); the sparkling, over-sized ‘Flying Chair’ light installation by French sculptress Geraldine Gonzales, her most ambitious piece to date the unique; and, ‘Walking’ free-standing screen-scuplture by Irish designer Niamh Barry made of solid bronze inlaid with opaque glass and LED lights.
From the region, premieres abound including: Lebanese lighting designer Marie Munier’s Spirale II’, a hand-crafted brass and LED lighting sculpture (edition of 10); leading Emirati designer Aljoud Lootah’s hotly-anticipated first ceramic collection; a series of table innovatively combining wood and resin by emerging design duo Tarek Hreish and Farah Kayyal of Aperçu Designs, Jordan; and, new organic form-inspired wall pieces by Irish-born Dubai-based designer maker, Michael Rice.
Parallel to the exhibitor programme is an array of special projects as well as installations and live design-in-the-making performances from the likes of Dutch rising design duo Os & Oos, American Hardwood Export Council, which collaborates with seven UAE-based designers on its ‘Seed to Seat’ project, and Coletivo Amor de Madre from Sao Paulo.
These, combined with Design Days Dubai’s programme of talks and hands-on workshops which includes appearances by leading designers Sebastian Wrong (UK), Fabio Novembre (Italy) and Marko Brajovic (Brazil/Croatia), open the fair to a broader audience and ensure a visitor experience that will appeal to design enthusiasts.