ARCA, the global purveyor of the most exclusive natural stone, tiles and wood, presents an original work by renowned artists, Kelly Wearstler and Alicja Kwade, for Miami Art Week 2022. Wearstler is internationally recognized for her provocative concepts and expressive narratives, signature to her extensive body of work. Through an exploration of materiality, color and form, the NUDO Collection includes 16 pieces of furniture and 6 accessory pieces that convey themes of unity while exploring the beauty of natural stone. Through a distinctive merger of nature, the human hand and technology, NUDO transforms marble into sculptural softness, inspired by the ancient craft of weaving and the simple beauty inherent in interconnected fibers. Wearstler’s knotted, rounded, and ribbed forms are amalgamated and materialized into uniquely scaled and functional designs with the help of ARCA’s state of the art craft and manufacturing techniques, and a mutual passion for natural stone. Alicja Kwade is a contemporary artist known for her enigmatic sculptures and installations that explore concepts of space, time, science, and philosophy through immersive experiences about discovery confronts viewers to question their perception of reality. Her installation, ‘Pretty Pity’, is an expansion on recurring leitmotifs, being marble spheres in all imaginable sizes. This time, Kwade playfully self-quotes herself; from a distance, what first seems to be four well-rounded stone spheres, becomes more visibly imperfect upon closer inspection. The ice cream scoops are slowly melting away on Miami’s hot asphalt, representing a bittersweet commentary on our lifestyle, consumerism and global warming. The irony becomes evident, especially when thinking about the fact that ice cream once was one of the most luxurious desserts at the French Court, that had to be sourced directly from glacier ice from the Alps. And it is exactly that glacier ice that is now gone for most parts, due to our never-ending craving for more. NUDO and Pretty Pity will be on exhibition to the public at ARCA Wynwood, 260 NW 27th Street, Miami from Wednesday, November 30th.
| Hours | Monday to Friday 9:00 AM - 6:00 PMSaturday 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM; Closed Sunday |
| Venue | ARCA Wynwood Design Center |
| Type | Design Exhibition |
| Duration | 9:00 AM - 6:00 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.
