For the occasion of Art Basel Miami Beach the leading purveyor of luxury stone, ARCA, has once again collaborated with leading talents in design and art to present new concepts at their Wynwood showroom. 'Gravitas' by Vincent Van Dusyen for ARCAVincent Van Dusyen's 18-piece furniture collection, 'Gravitas' was born out of the relationship between nature, space and mankind. The series hinges on conceptual yet empirical juxtapositions - rough vs. polished surfaces and gravity vs. lightness. The result is very organic: balancing the utilitarian and sculptured. Van Duysen, a well-known advocate of authenticity and human-centered design principles, brings his unique perspective to the world of ARCA. The works of Isamu Noguchi, Anish Kapoor, James Turrell, and Roni Horn served as primary sources of inspiration. True to his practice’s DNA, he selected materials in desaturated, earthy hues from both European and Mexican quarries and enlisted artisans and craftspeople from Spain, Italy and Mexico.'Loving Day (Marble No. 1)' by Hank Willis Thomas for ARCAHank Willis Thomas is a conceptual artist working across sculpture, painting, photography and more, and primarily working with themes related to perspective, identity, commodity, media, and popular culture. Loving Day (Marble No. 1) provides an extension of Thomas’ ever-expanding sculptural practice, and the artist’s desire to play with both scale and semi-precious and precious materials. The new work forms part of the artist's ongoing Punctum series, which is inspired by Roland Barthes’ photographic theory of punctum referring to the detail in an image that pierces or sticks with the viewer, to create a connection between artist, artwork and viewer. Loving Day (Marble No. 1) furthers Thomas’ exploration of gesture-focused sculptures that investigate themes such as individual and collective identity, ambition, perseverance, unity and community.
| Hours | 10:00 AM - 9:00 PM |
| Venue | ARCA Wynwood Design Center |
| Type | Design Exhibition |
| Duration | 10:00 AM - 9:00 PM |
| City | Miami |
About
Arca
Arca is a global leader in the natural stone and raw material industry, including tile, brick, and wood of the highest quality. With showrooms in Mexico and Miami, designed by Esrawe Studio and Superflex, Arca is a favorite destination for architects and interior designers, offering them premium building materials: wood flooring, an array of masonry bricks, engineered stone, and exotic natural stone from around the globe. Founded by Gerardo Jose Cortina Weichers, Arca also aims to be “a node of creative connections that promotes design, culture, and art through extraordinary experiences.” Each showroom offers temporary exhibitions, film screenings, and musical performances. The flagship in Guadalajara was designed by Hector Esrawe of Esrawe Studio, “We like to provoke our clients to include a cultural component in their projects. In this case, we achieved both: a design that adds social value and is integral to the brand. This company has marvelous energy, wanting to grab the brass ring and reach for the stars.” Esrawe’s team, led by architecture coordinator Laura Vela, conceived the 70,000-square-foot facility with two conjoined but clearly defined zones: a soaring, skylit warehouse for the massive stone slabs and other materials in the Grupo Arca inventory and a three-level showroom wing with product galleries, offices, and a bookstore-café.
