Elixir of light
Welcome to the Global Interiors issue – a curated and thoughtful edit of inspiring new pieces and projects in Australia, Denmark, Germany, Japan, Mexico, Nigeria and the US.
Our newsstand cover star is the Amalfi Residence in Pacific Palisades in LA – home to a pair of collectors and philanthropists, bringing together outstanding architecture by Johnston Marklee, and exquisite interiors by Studio Shamshiri – whose work is cuttingedge, and so influential in contemporary interior design.
In Milan, we have Luca Guadagnino’s apartment for entrepreneur Federico Marchetti, which transposes the filmmaker’s signature nostalgic gaze into an urban setting. Equally elegant, but with a radically different design approach is the residence and studio of design duo Formafantasma, the perfect showcase for their forward-thinking furniture and lighting.
We take in Fendi Casa’s latest furniture collection, displayed among the surrealist arches and colonnades of Xavier Corberó’s estate in Barcelona. In Berlin, we visit artist Jeppe Hein for a preview of ‘Right Here, Right Now’, his year-long collaboration with champagne house Ruinart. Then it’s off to Oaxaca for a grand tour of the brand new Hotel Terrestre, winner of a Wallpaper* Design Award 2022 for best hotel, featuring sustainable architecture by Alberto Kalach, 360-degree views of jungle, mountains and the Pacific Ocean, and a considered take on luxury.
I recently had one of my periodic catch-ups with Ron Arad, where he condenses all of his recent creative endeavours into an action-packed conversation. His enthusiasm and appetite for ideas is infectious, and it got me thinking about how powerful his pieces are in person, and how striking it would be to cast his chairs as co-stars in a main fashion shoot. The fashion is a play on materials and silhouettes, each having its own dialogue with groundbreaking designs such as the ‘Rover’, ‘Well-tempered’ and ‘Big Easy’ chairs. A huge thank you to Ron and his team for loaning these rare treasures.
I’m also delighted that this month’s limited-edition cover artist is Helen Pashgian, whose brilliant use of light and colour transcends the physical realm to become an atmospheric and emotional experience. Pashgian has a fascinating life story – a principal member of the Light and Space movement of the 1960s, she has never ceased to innovate, evolve and refine her art, and is finally getting the recognition she so richly deserves. Following a solo show at Lehmann Maupin New York (her first NYC show in almost half a century), she is now taking over Site Santa Fe in New Mexico, and headlining the blockbuster ‘Light & Space’ survey at Copenhagen Contemporary.
And finally, I am delighted to announce that I have also been working on my own personal light project, as I will be temporarily stepping back from Wallpaper* to
‘dare alla luce’ my second child. I look forward to reconnecting with you all before long, but in the meantime I leave you in the trusted hands of acting editor-in-chief Bill Prince and the rest of our excellent team, so until next time – enjoy the issue!