Design

Our pick of 6 must-visit exhibitions at PAD London 2017

68 galleries take over London's Mayfair for the design-heavy fair.

5 October 2017

AD India's roundup of 6 mustvisit showcases at PAD London 2017

PAD London has found a niche place in London's art fair ecology over the last 10 years. Happily ensconced in Mayfair, it offers a combination of tribal art and antiquities, 20th-century modern furniture, decorative arts, paintings, contemporary glass, metalwork, and design.

The 11th edition, which runs from October 2 to October 8, brings together 68 leading galleries. With 12 newcomers on the scene, this year's edition promises to be a bounty for collectors on the lookout to diversify, and decorators on the hunt for fresh wares.

Here are AD's 6 must-visit exhibits to look out for:

Rose Uniacke, UK

Category: 20th Century Design & Decorative Arts

1/ 3

Dimore Gallery

The British interior designer and art dealer Rose Uniacke, who counts Victoria and David Beckham as one of her clients, presents vintage and modern pieces (a 1930s antique games table particularly caught our eye) against a fresh yellow backdrop that has been described as ‘uplifting yet soothing'. Uniacke has already scooped top honours for her booth by winning the Best Stand award.

Dimore Gallery, Italy

Category: 20th Century Design & Decorative Arts

1/ 3

Dimore Gallery

The Italian-American designers of Dimore Gallery are first-timers at PAD. The duo is showcasing lighting pieces in a pink-hued stand. Their lamps are complemented by modernist works from Pierre Guariche, Angelo Lelli and Ico Parisi.

Galerie Gosserez, France

Category: Contemporary Design

Figure and Bird by Joan Mir , oil and Chinese ink on wood (bottom of a crate), 76 x 60 cm, 1977 79.

铜角的板凳Valentin Loellmann for Paris-based Galerie Gosserez is noted for its dynamic, boomerang shape. The most impressive aspect of the bench has to be the deft use of materials. Loellmann has seamlessly melded copper and charred oak, making it seem that the bench has been crafted from a single material. Valentin picked up the prize for Best Contemporary Design.

Galerie Le Beau, Belgium

Category: 20th Century Design & Decorative Arts

Figure and Bird by Joan Mir , oil and Chinese ink on wood (bottom of a crate), 76 x 60 cm, 1977 79.

The 1949 lounge chair by the late José Zanine Caldas for Galerie Le Beau stands out for its charming base of Cavunia plywood, rope and fabric. The modernist piece on display at PAD London reflects the Brazilian designer's affinity for craft carving and forest materials. The gallery also picked up the award for Best 20th Century Design for the lounge chair.

Gallery Fumi, UK

Category: Contemporary Design

Figure and Bird by Joan Mir , oil and Chinese ink on wood (bottom of a crate), 76 x 60 cm, 1977 79.

Oscillating between sculpture and design, the Fuzz Tri-Bench by Study O Portable for Gallery Fumi is a unique work, speaking of a preoccupation with process and an innovative attitude to materials. Layer upon layer, pigmented Jesmonite is applied in concentric layers. The decision to slice the bench into three sections stems from a desire to make the manufacturing process even more manifest, revealing the densely nuanced pigmentation of each section containing layers reminiscent to those of a fossilised tree.

Mayoral, Spain

Category: Modern Art

Figure and Bird by Joan Mir , oil and Chinese ink on wood (bottom of a crate), 76 x 60 cm, 1977 79.

Figure and Bird by Joan Miró from Barcelona's Galeria Mayoral would be a beautiful focal point perched above a fireplace, drawing one's eye into the room, while also adding a touch of playfulness.