Art and Design Objects I'm Loving Now

I have been looking at design and art objects for as long as I can remember and these past two years seem to have been a very prolific in that arena.  I think that since the 1980s when Keith Haring opened his pop shop in New York City, no other moment in history has been as fun, colorful and intense for design and art objects as the current times.  I took these pictures in different places during in the past 12 months.  I have already covered a lot of what I saw in Paris in 2013 here and here and because of that I'm keeping things local for this post. 

These are objects that form part of my selection of what has called my attention and which I believe deserve a special mention.  Some are older editions, some just released but they are all fun and cool and can be incorporated in any design –or at least in any design of someone who is energetic, passionate and has a sense of humor and optimism. 

Maurizio Cattelan and Pierpaolo Ferrari's Toilet Paper Tableware

I love this provocative collection of enamel mugs, plates, tablecloths and other tabletop objects that Maurizio Cattelan and Pierpaolo Ferrari pulled from the pages of their image-only magazine, "Toilet Paper".  

Phillip Estlund's Genus Chairs

These chairs caught my eye the minute I saw them at Grey Area.  They look gorgeous and although the collages have bee pasted and coated on vintage chairs, the final result is decidedly contemporary and cool.

Renate Müller 'sTherapeutic Toys 

These toys have been created by the prodigious hands of Renate Müller since the 1960s and every year she continues to produce a very limited quantity of these cute -yet very sturdy- animals.  Their beauty lies not only on their phisycal appearance but also in the fact that they were created to help the eye and motor coordination of handicapped children.  Additionally they can be stacked creating your own personal design.  In my opinion they are as delightful for kids as they are for adults.

The PK Shop (emphasizing FriendsWithYou's Cloud Lamp and Shelter Serra's glow-in-the-dark Birkin Bags) 

I truly love everything that the Paul Kasmin shop has in it because it is as cool, fun and interesting as Paul Kasmin's two Chelsea galleries. I'm particularly loving that FriendsWithYou limited editionhanging fixture and Shelter Serra's resin "Homemade Birkins: which glow-in-the-dark.

The Gagosian Shop (emphasizing Roy Lichtenstein's mobile) 

The Gagosian Shop on the 72nd street and Madison location is a very stylish space where the selection of objects, prints and rare books is as carefully curated as the shows that the gallery upstairs presents (and any of the other 12 Gagosian locations, for that matter).  I love Roy Lichtenstein (whose retrospective in Paris I covered here and this limited edition mobile is everything! 

Morten Løbner Espersen's Ceramic Pieces

I had seen the ceramic pieces of Morten Løbner Espersen in several art and design fairs around the world but it was in Design Miami this past December when they completely captivated me. Morten is one of the most successful Danish ceramists of his generation and these vases are intriguing, sexy, beautiful and amazing. 

Present Time's Yeddi Bowls

Present Time is a Dutch company that I discovered recently.  These geometric melamine bowls are such fantastic design pieces while being eye-catching and useful.  The best part of it is how affordable they are!