A colorful, vibrant new collection from Kahled El Mays’ multidisciplinary studio was released at Design Miami/ 2021 with the support of House of Today. Made by talented craftspeople from Mexico City, New Nature shares a glimpse of furniture in the organic process of becoming “a moving state where volumes shift, interact and weave together before taking solid shape”. The collection is made up of bar, booth, chairs, coffee table, and mirror that bring together leather, ceramic, wood, and wicker in an inspired way that incorporates Surrealism and Art Nouveau.
“I have slowly been approaching the Art Nouveau period of design history, attempting to extract subtle lines to make them my own. New Nature, the result of four years of research, is a new angle and interpretation of this period infused with contemporary nodes and a playfulness that I always like to invite as a consistent thread in my work. The exploration is ongoing and most importantly, now intertwined with Mexico City, where I was introduced to a new language of color and craft without which this series would not have come into being,” El Mays said.
Photo: Michael Pisarri
New Nature includes the designer’s first chair design, as well as his first time incorporating ceramics into work. It was House of Today’s founder, Cherine Magrabi Tayeb, who suggested El Mays look into the material in 2016 while in Mexico City as part of a mentorship. The non-profit finds new ways to keep alive and promote the work of Lebanese designers and the country’s design culture. Residencies like this one, along with education scholarships abroad, are used to globally promote Lebanese design.
Magrabi Tayeb went on to say, “Lebanon is known for design, and our designers are our cultural ambassadors to the world, painting a positive face of what our country has to offer. It is imperative that we continue to encourage creative growth and expression, and empower design culture as a contributing force to change.”
Photo: Michael Pisarri
Photo: Michael Pisarri
Photo: Michael Pisarri
Photo: Michael Pisarri
Photo: Michael Pisarri
Photo: Michael Pisarri
Photo: Michael Pisarri
Photo: Michael Pisarri
Photo: Michael Pisarri
Photo: Hector Mendoza
Photo: Hector Mendoza
Photo: Hector Mendoza
Photo: Hector Mendoza
Photo: Hector Mendoza
Khaled El Mays
For more information, visit houseoftoday.com.
Source: design-milk