Miami, November 27, 2020/ Design Miami/ Podium opens today, inaugurating the fair’s temporary return to its original home in the Miami Design District, and first virtual edition of the fair with over 240 pieces shoppable via Design Miami/ Shop. This year’s fair runs across ten days and welcomes eleven international galleries and three unique Curio presentations as well as exciting partner content and satellite exhibitions.

“With Design Miami/ Podium we are excited to be able to offer not only our debut digital incarnation of our fair, but also a moment to physically come together, safely, to celebrate design and showcase the work of some of the world’s most talented designers. I really want to thank our galleries, designers, partners and the Design Miami/ team for their positive response to Design Miami/ Podium, without their support we would not have been able to achieve what we have done here today at the Moore Building and we look forward to building on this for 2021 and hopefully all being back together, in person, again soon” Jennifer Roberts, CEO of Design Miami/

DESIGN MIAMI/PODIUM
Exploring the theme America(s), the featured Design Miami/ Podium exhibition has been curated by Curatorial Director Aric Chen and looks at the meaning and understanding of America through the juxtaposition of significant works of design and craft. While highlights include a rare Navajo Wedge Weave Blanket presented by Shiprock Santa Fe, a collection of very rare and important painted Shaker boxes from John Keith Russell, and important twentieth century works by designers including George Nakashima, Wendell Castle, Charles Eames, and Eero Saarinen, they also include designs from across Latin America and further afield. Also featured is a diverse selection of contemporary designs, many from underrepresented voices and exploring social and political themes from Black Lives Matter to gender and environmental issues, and two nearly complete dinosaur skeletons excavated from what is now Wyoming. “The exhibition is not about defining ‘American design’ per se, but rather aims to examine ‘America’ as an idea, ideal and work-in-progress—one that offers multiple narratives, histories, interpretations, and futures,” says Chen.

DESIGN MIAMI/ AWARDS
Ahead of the opening today, the Design Miami/ awards jury convened to review the show and identify the top ten designs in two categories, historical and contemporary. The jury included Miami design collector and connoisseur Al Eiber, Wolfsonian–FIU Chief Curator Silvia Barisione, Design Miami/ Director of Exhibitions Jillian Choi, and New York architect and design expert Lee Mindel, who served as Jury Chair.Architect-designer Gaetano Pesce’s latest take on his classic Pratt Chairs—produced this year as the legend turned 80—was awarded Best in Show in the contemporary category. “Gaetano is living history,” said Mindel. “It’s amazing to see someone have such a long career and remain as relevant today as he was forty years ago.”

In the historical category, Best in Show was awarded to a set of antique walking canes, produced in the US between the late 19th century and early 20th. Crafted in a range of words, each cane is crowned with a carved fist. “Looking at this usual collection of objects, you’re reminded that some struggles have been around for a long time,” remarked Mindel. “But hopefully things are getting better too.”

The full list of award winners, in no particular order:
TOP 10 CONTEMPORARY
Surfin USA Chair by OrtaMiklos/ Friedman Benda Ritual Calendar by Ini Archibong/ Friedman Benda 3 Pratt Chairs by Gaetano Pesce/ Salon 94 Design Island Lamp by Stuart Haygarth/ Carpenters Workshop Gallery Palmea Wall Unit by Khaled El Mays/ House of Today presented by R & Company Basin by Donte Hayes/ Mindy Solomon Gallery Nest #1 Chair by hettler.tüllmann/ Mindy Solomon Gallery Wall Platter by Jaydan Moore/ Ornamentum Centerpiece by Iris Eichengerg/ Ornamentum The Party’s Over by Michelle Erickson/ Michelle Erickson Pottery