Specialists of Design: Alex Matamoros Takes Us to Art Wynwood (Part 3)

Alex Matamoros, Design Center of the Americas’ director of design services and design professionals, has just a few more exhibits to share with us from his recent experience at Art Wynwood, the International Contemporary Art Fair in Miami.

By Alex Matamoros

Before leaving, I fell in love with one last exhibit that I couldn't exclude. Lluis Barba's Lausberg Contemporary Gallery of Ontario was utterly moving. Lluis, an artist from Spain, incorporates images painted by the masters of art with today’s elements, artist, signs, and bar codes. This type of collage features so many images that every square inch has something interesting!

Luis has said of his work, "The incorporation of characters in the works of the past emerge while thinking about how our brain has the ability to receive external references. As the image we receive moves across the retina, it arrives with us as an absolute fragmentation at the hypothalamus, where it reconstructs a virtually reasonable image, depending on the evolutionary parameters of a sort."

Luis says he gets out-of-context elements from reality to displace them into another, alternate reality. He is known for using irony and implicit messages in his work, like the “global mestization” in society. "In my works tourists attend not only at museums, but they are also incorporated in works with the metaphoric involvement that this fact implies, establishing a dialogue more direct between those who observe and those who admire," he said.

If you missed Miami's recent International Contemporary Art Fair this year, make sure to be there next year. Art Wynwood is an amazing event that I will be attending for many years to come.

Specialists of Design: Alex Matamoros Takes Us to Art Wynwood (Part 2 of 3)

Yesterday, Design Center of the Americas’ director of design services and design professionals, Alex Matamoros, shared his recent experience at Art Wynwood, Miami's recent International Contemporary Art Fair. Here's more from Alex about what he loved most during his day at the fair.

By Alex Matamoros

It's hard to pick favorites out of a sea of amazing art, but eventually it was clear that several certainly stood out from the crowd. Augusto Esquivel's Now Contemporary Art Gallery is the first on my list! This amazing artist was born in Argentina, and he arranges simple buttons and monofilaments into amazing sculptures.

Augusto has said, "I realize how insignificant and small a simple sewing button can be as it lays in my grandmother’s sewing box, but at the same time how unique and precious it can become as part of a work of art. Like an atom in a molecule, each button serves and shapes the whole. I hold the button to my ear and it whispers to me, ‘I want to be...'"

Michael Eastman's Barry Friedman Ltd. is another on my list. One of the collections on display from Michael was his series of pictures of Cuba. I love the look of the old mansions after 50-plus years of little to no maintenance. The rich and famous used to live in these homes, and now they are occupied by multiple families.

Michael is one of the world's leading contemporary photographic artists, and he happens to be a self-taught photographer who spent four decades documenting interiors and facades in cities as diverse as Havana, Paris, Rome, and New Orleans, producing large-scale photographs unified by their visual precision, monumentality, and painterly use of color. He is most recognized for his explorations of architectural form and the textures of decay, which create mysterious narratives about time and place—but I love him for all of it!

Specialists of Design: The PDC Corey Pernicano Presents Product (Part 2)

Yesterday, Design Professional of the Pacific Design Center Cory Pernicano began sharing some of his favorite pieces of product at Hudson Furniture Inc. Here's more from Cory on his favorite pieces.

By Cory Pernicano

Now that we've covered the amazing story behind Hudson Furniture's respect for trees and sustainable practices, the beautiful products made by the company must be discussed. Among my favorites, the Divan sofa in French walnut is decadent yet sensually casual. Complete with bronze feet, the piece can act as a statement in a living room or an addition to a space that already has  artwork or a chandelier. The sofa can be used in both a sophisticated home or in a beautiful chalet in the woods and look beautiful.

The Plexi Base coffee table is another brilliant piece that works in either a  modern or rustic space. The seamed Claro walnut surface and plexiglass leg allow this coffee table to blend into the scenery or speak for itself with its comfortable look and unexpected plexiglass leg-flare. I see this piece in a classy office with coffee set or sipping glasses atop!

An even more inspiring part of the Hudson Furniture collection would have to be the lighting collection. The Mother Chandelier is not only very architectural but also sculptural. It is truly a masterpiece in itself. The first time I saw the Mother Chandelier, my jaw dropped in wonder and amazement. Words don’t do it any justice; the product speaks for itself.

You can contact Cory [cpernicano@pacificdesigncenter.com] for more advice on fabulous product at the PDC. Stay tuned to GoDesignGo to hear from DCOTA Design Professional, Alex Matamoros.

Specialists of Design: The PDC Corey Pernicano Presents Product (Part 1 of 2)

We recently introduced you to Cory Pernicano, the Design Professional of the Pacific Design Center. Now that we have gotten to know him, he's sharing his thoughts with us about an eco-friendly collection he loves.

By Cory Pernicano

This month I’d like to talk about a particular collection represented at the David Sutherland showroom here at the Pacific Design Center. I have to admit that Hudson Furniture Inc.'s newest collection is probably one of the most beautiful collections I’ve come across in the last few months!

Hudson Furniture Inc. happens to be New York's only repository for legally harvested petrified wood. For Hudson Furniture Inc. it was second nature to explore petrified wood as an extension of its already existing collection of organic contemporary designs. Petrified wood, having the visual characteristics of wood but the feel of stone, represents a contemporary fusion of the two original materials into a new compelling organic interior accessory.

Hudson Furniture also respects the natural forms of trees , with well defined organic lines using traditional techniques and hand-rubbed finishes.

None of the wood that they use is harvested from old growth forests. The wood slabs are domestically sourced from either salvaged trees or wind and storm-damaged trees. I can't get enough of it!

Stay tuned to GoDesignGo for more from Cory when he shares his favorite Hudson Furniture product and where he would opt to place it in a space.

Specialists of Design: Alex Matamoros at DCOTA (Part 1 of 2)

Design Professionals provide a unique “insider” Consulting & Buying Program that offers discriminating consumers who are not presently working with a designer the opportunity to purchase a limited number of items at the to-the-trade only prices plus an administrative fee. This service extends the coveted privilege to select from the unrivaled variety of textiles and furnishings available through Cohen Design Centers.

Over the next few weeks, GoDesignGo will introduce you to each of the Design Professionals. Once you've gotten to know them, they'll share tips on design, new clients and projects, favorite product and more, so stay tuned.

In the meantime, we are pleased to introduce you to our first Design Professional, Alex Matamoros!

Alex is the Director of Design Services for the DCOTA, so if you're in the area and are looking for design direction, Alex is your man.

Here’s a little background on Alex. He has designed homes in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and the Caribbean and has been published in the Ft. Myers Parade of Homes as well as the Port St. Lucie Parade of Homes.

Alex has won numerous awards from the Builder's Association of South Florida and the Gold Coast Builder Association of West Palm Beach. Previously, he was a Senior Designer for the Interiors Group in Boca Raton, Florida.

Stay tuned to GoDesignGo for our interview with Alex to learn more about him and his love of design.