Collective Design Returns for Its Fifth Year May 3-7, 2017
NEW YORK – Collective Design announces its 2017 fair, to be held May 3-7, 2017 at Skylight Clarkson Sq during NYCxDESIGN, which will run May 3-24, 2017. Now entering its fifth year, the fair has established itself as a highlight of the New York cultural calendar, as well as an indispensable resource within the design community throughout the year. With a unique focus on 20th and 21st century design, Collective Design amalgamates an exceptional range of innovative and experimental works, as well as vintage collectable design objects, from both established and emerging voices. Collective Design is guided by the dynamic perspectives of a global Council of thought-leaders spanning interior design, art and architecture, and helmed by founder Steven Learner.
Over the past four years, Collective Design has articulated a new framework for a design fair, one that goes beyond a commercial viewpoint to unite collaboration and exploration. The fair encourages discovery and connoisseurship among design professionals and the public alike through its curated selection of compelling galleries and designers, playful process-based installations and thoughtful educational programming. Having grown from 23 exhibitors and 7 special installations in its inaugural year at Pier 57, the 2016 edition brought together 31 international galleries and 19 special presentations. Cornerstone offerings have included the marquee Collective Influence exhibition, hailing the impact of one outstanding living designer or studio, which has been a signature element of the fair beginning with the 2013 celebration of Gaetano Pesce. Also in 2016 the fair introduced Collective Concept, immersive capsule presentations of material process from New York-based contemporary designers in the fields of lighting, furnishing, ceramics and textiles.
The 2017 fair will amplify the exceptional scope and depth of Collective Design’s programs. New international exhibitors will include one of London’s leading contemporary design innovators, David Gill Gallery, as well as the Paris-based Chahan Gallery and Galerie Mini Masterpiece. Returning exhibitors will include Maison Gerard (New York, NY), R & Company (New York, NY) and Wexler Gallery (Philadelphia, PA), who are all back for their fifth consecutive year; Cristina Grajales Gallery (New York, NY), Bryce Wolkowitz Gallery (New York, NY), Gallery Loupe (Montclair, NJ), Sienna Patti (Lenox, MA) and Galerie Negropontes (Paris, FR).
Collective Design has demonstrated a robust and growing audience for contemporary design, having seen a 25% increase in attendance each consecutive year, with over 12,000 visitors in 2016. Notable 2016 attendees included Julianne Moore, Sophia Coppola, David Byrne, Olivier Sarkozy and Mary-Kate Olsen, Maja Hoffman and Don and Mera Rubell.
Collective Design’s exceptional understanding of vintage and contemporary design trends and talent is evidenced in strong sales throughout its four previous seasons. The 2016 fair saw several major sales, with important pieces sold to institutions such as Museum of Modern Art, Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art, Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum and more.
About Skylight Clarkson Sq
Once the southernmost terminal of the High Line, Skylight Clarkson Sq is among the few yet-to-be-explored interiors in the city. Skylight is in the business of pairing premier brands with historic and significant properties, creating inspirational venues in unusual places. Train tracks still run through a portion of the building in West SoHo, but Skylight's facilitation of adaptive reuse has made Clarkson Sq a versatile space in which creators are limited only by their imagination. The scale and scope of this "horizontal skyscraper," which spans three city blocks, give designers the opportunity to create an all-new experience that engages audiences and encapsulates the sensibility of a fair developed by those at the forefront of the field.
About NYCxDESIGN
Since its inception, Collective Design has been an active supporter of and participant in NYCxDESIGN, New York City’s official citywide celebration of design, which will run from May 3-24, 2017. Spanning all disciplines of design, NYCxDESIGN creates a collaborative platform for cultural and commercial opportunities, elevates established and emerging design practices and increases awareness of and appreciation for design by all audiences. Hosted in New York City, NYCxDESIGN brings together all the disciplines of design, commerce, culture, education, and entertainment with a full, varied program, including exhibitions, installations, trade shows, talks, launches and open studios. The program is overseen by NYCEDC together with a Steering Committee comprised of leaders and leading institutions across most design disciplines.
About Collective Design
Collective Design engages a diverse range of global voices and expertise to create a compelling discourse on 20th- and 21st-century design. It is guided by a passionate group of industry leaders including designers, architects, gallerists, and collectors, under the direction of its founder, architect Steven Learner. Active in the creative community throughout the year, Collective Design focuses its shared knowledge during its annual fair in New York City, which showcases the latest in design thinking and innovation.
