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Design Miami.Paris 2026: The Versatility of Objects and a Dialogue Between Cultures
On October 20-25 2026, the historic L’hôtel de Maisons in Paris hosted the fourth edition of Design Miami.Paris. The fair brought together historical and contemporary collectible design, showcasing objects that combine artistic thinking, craftsmanship and experimentation with materials.
Ela Cohen, independent art curator and founder of ECLECTICTLV visited the event and shares her impressions and highlights.
“My strongest impression this year was the versatility of design. I was drawn to objects with a distinct identity of their own, yet capable of existing in different interior contexts, sitting alongside pieces from different eras and transcending any particular style” – says Ela.
Versatility here is not synonymous with neutrality. It is the ability of an object to retain its character while engaging in a dialogue with its surroundings, architecture and other objects.
Design as Sculpture: Arabesque by Pierre Renart
One of the fair’s most striking pieces was Arabesque, a monumental bench by French designer and cabinetmaker Pierre Renart, presented by the gallery maison parisienne. The work received the award for Best Large-Scale Presentation in the Design at Large section.
Made from laminated moabi wood veneer, Arabesque resembles a continuous ribbon flowing freely through space. Its fluid lines create a sense of movement, while the structure itself offers two ways of interacting with it: one section can be used for sitting, while another invites you to recline. The wooden curve surrounding the person creates an almost intimate setting for rest and contemplation.
For me, this work is an example of how a piece of furniture can become a sculpture in its own right while retaining its functionality. It does not simply occupy a place within the architecture of the historic mansion; it enters into a dialogue with it, bringing together exceptional woodworking craftsmanship, contemporary technology and the expressive qualities of organic form
Japanese Aesthetics: Form, Pause and Material
One of my personal observations was the presence of Asian, and particularly Japanese, visual references. I noticed them in the approach to natural materials, form and space. I would not describe this as a unifying theme of the fair, but rather as an interesting cultural thread that can be traced through certain individual pieces.
A good example is Israeli designer Gal Gaon, presented by the Hostler Burrows gallery. His Guyku Meditation Rocks collection includes armchairs, a sofa and side tables made from solid American walnut. Both the name and the concept refer to the rhythm of Japanese haiku, where the simplicity of form becomes a way of expressing a more complex idea.
What draws me to these pieces is the interplay between volume and emptiness, the weight of the wood and the softness of its curves. The natural material is neither concealed nor reduced to a decorative surface; its texture and grain become an integral part of the object’s visual identity.
Another compelling encounter between European modernism and Japanese tradition was Jean Prouvé’s 1944 6×6 Demountable House, presented by Galerie Patrick Seguin. For the fair, the interior of the house was arranged with references to the chashitsu, the traditional Japanese tea pavilion. Here, Prouvé’s functional architecture enters into a dialogue with a culture in which simplicity, proportion and the organisation of space hold particular significance.
Function and Transformation: The StudioDanielK Screen
I also paid particular attention to screens — objects that bring together practical function and expressive form. They have the ability to transform the perception of an interior, create privacy and introduce new spatial scenarios. Wallpaper highlighted the StudioDanielK screen, made of white parchment and bronze. It unfolds and transforms into a bar finished in high-gloss Brazilian rosewood. This functional transformation becomes part of the artistic concept, giving a familiar interior object an unexpected new purpose. This is an approach I find particularly appealing: design is not limited to appearance or a single function. An object can change its purpose, influence the atmosphere of a space and become part of an everyday ritual.
Between Nature, Craftsmanship and Technology
At Design Miami.Paris, natural forms also found expression in technologically sophisticated objects. Among the notable works was the Membrane chair by Danish designer Mathias Bengtsson, which received the award for Best Contemporary Work. Its sculptural structure was created using digital modelling based on the principles of organic growth, and realised in cast and polished stainless steel. Here, technology becomes a tool for exploring nature: the object looks as though its structure has evolved according to its own biological laws. At the same time, it retains the function of a chair, balancing experimentation, engineering and sculpture.
Another important aspect of contemporary collectible design emerged in the Designers of Tomorrow project, organised with the support of Apple. The work of emerging studios demonstrated that digital tools do not replace traditional craftsmanship. On the contrary, behind these experimental forms are painstaking processes, precision and a profound attention to material.
In my opinion, this is one of the most interesting dialogues in contemporary design: technology expands the possibilities available to the designer, while craftsmanship preserves the physical and sensory connection between a person and an object.
The one-year old Dubai gallery The A/P Room stops visitors in their tracks with Rogan Gregory’s furry biomorphic chandelier and floor lamps, mixing goat fur or horsehair with bronze, ceramic and alabaster, light peeking through the strands of hair. ‘It’s like a creature. I love the ambiguity between the object and a living thing,’ says the gallery’s founder, Christelle Basilla, who contrasted the lamps with Brazilian modernism.
My Curatorial Perspective
I see Design Miami. Paris 2026 as a space for dialogue between different eras, cultures and approaches to creating objects. What captured my attention was the versatility of the pieces, their Japanese references, the expressive qualities of natural materials and the ability of functional objects to become independent artistic statements.
This is my personal curatorial reading of what I encountered, rather than a claim that these observations represent a single direction across the entire design market. For me, powerful object design is design that retains its individuality, remains open to different contexts and has the ability to exist beyond a single style. These are the objects that create a connection between art, architecture and everyday life — and continue to reveal new meanings over time.
Ela Cohen, independent art curator, founder of ECLECTICTLV
