Welcome to The Buzz, our monthly roundup of design world news and inspiration for Design Miami’s discerning community of creatives and collectors. Enjoy!

This week in New York, Southern Guild and Galerie56 open no bats, no chocolate, a solo exhibition of handcrafted seating environments by celebrated South African artist Porky Hefer. The new collection was conceived as a “toy box” of inhabitable, animal-inspired sculptures that celebrate the ingenuity of wild creatures, inviting a physical and emotional connection that places humans in communion with – rather than dominion over – the animal kingdom. Despite its use of humor and fantasy, no bats, no chocolate is a serious plea for greater tolerance of and reverence towards wild species. “So many kids growing up in big cities don’t have positive relationships with wild animals. Their default response is one of fear and hostility,” Hefer says. “But you have to love animals to protect them, and the less contact children have with animals, the less desire they will have to safeguard them.” The show is on view at Galerie56 in Tribeca until August 26.

Also in New York, Polish designer Marcin Rusak debuts Vas Florum: Resina Botanica at Carpenters Workshop Gallery. As the son and grandson of  flower growers, Rusak has long been fascinated by flora, and he reuses decaying organic waste from the commercial floral industry to create striking collectible design objects that offer up cultural critiques around consumption and beauty. By incorporating floral elements in varying states, seemingly frozen in time, Rusak embraces nature as both the medium and the message.  May 7-31

In Weil am Rhein, Vitra’s Schaudepot launches Science Fiction Design: From Space Age to the Metaverse, a yearlong exhibition dedicated to the dialogue between science fiction and design. Over 100 objects from the Vitra Design Museum’s collection will be staged in a futuristic display by designer Andrés Reisinger (a talent known for creating works almost exclusively for the metaverse), complemented by elements from the realms of sci-fi film and literature. Exhibited works range from Space Age icons of the ’60s and ’70s (think Joe Colombo’s Sella and Olivier Mourgue’s Djinn Lounge Chair) to designs from the ’90s and early aughts by stars like Marc Newson, Konstantin Grcic, and Joris Laarman, and more recent objects conceived exclusively for the virtual worlds of the metaverse—which cumulatively reflect our evolving visions of the future. On view May 18, 2024 -May 11, 2025

In Mayfair, London’s Gallery FUMI presents Head Hand Foot, its first solo exhibition spotlighting rising star US sculptor Casey McCafferty. Known for a practice that blends both traditional craft techniques and experimentation, McCafferty embraces raw materials to create sculptural (often quite dreamy), functional objects that reflect his natural surroundings. The new show will reveal never-before-seen pieces, carved from wood and stone, and introduce cabinets to his repertoire.  May 9 - June 29

In Cologne, ammann//gallery presents Geometrics in Art and Architecture, an exhibition spotlighting the indispensable role of geometric shapes in the world around us. The show features work in an array of media by Hélène Binet, Frauke Dannert, Alessandro Mendini, Studio Nucleo, Georg Hornemann, and Ettore Sottsass. Highlights include Mendini’s iconic Pavonia armchair (1993); Sottsass’s Gopuram and Rosa Giallo e Bianco side tables (1988), and Binet’s 1993 abstract photograph of the Vitra Fire Station by the late, great architect Zaha Hadid, among others. On view ’til May 23

In Paris, Galerie SCENE OUVERTE opens the doors to a new gallery space situated at 13 rue Bonaparte in Saint Germain des Prés. The location is steeped in artistic history—a century ago, Galerie Pierre debuted in the same site, going on to present the likes of Man Ray, Max Ernst, Paul Klee, and others—and SCENE OUVERTE is dedicated to continuing the legacy of creative excellence. The gallery’s inaugural exhibition, Memento Semper Audere (Remember to Always Dare), will spotlight the depth of its international roster, featuring 20 designers whose practices explore the beauty and possibilities of their chosen materials—including KRJST Studio, Abel Cárcamo, Rino Claessens, Vincent Dubourg, Diane Benoit du Rey, William Coggin, and Léa Mestres, among others rising stars. May 16-August 10

Cristina Grajales Gallery in New York presents Off By An Inch, an exhibition devoted to new works by Turkish-born, Abiquiú, New Mexico-based designer Betil Dagdelen. Dagdelen’s thoughtful practice fuses an intuitive, improvisational approach with traditional weaving techniques, honed over the years through apprenticeships with expert indigenous weavers in New Mexico, Peru, and Turkey. For each of her woven chairs, tables, lamps, and decorative accents, she weaves yarn within the object’s frame, as opposed to using a loom, resulting in intricate patterns that quite often ultimately “break” or shift at least once, drawing the eye in unexpected directions.

As Dagdelen has said: “Once I fully understand and am comfortable with a particular pattern, that’s when I present a new one. It’s quite hard, because you know it’s going great, you know it looks beautiful, and you know you do it well. But that’s the moment you must change. You must present a new challenge and form a new pattern. It’s just an ongoing process. In the end, collages of patterns are far more interesting...not just in textiles or drawings, but in our lives as well.”  On view May 10 - August 23

This past year, Eindhoven-based design studio Dutch Invertuals teamed up with curator Alice Stori Liechtenstein, founder of  Schloss Hollenegg, to organize a residency program at Schloss Holleneg’s stunning, 12th century estate in the south of Austria. Over the three-week intensive course, designers from around the globe were invited to explore the nearby forest and reflect on our relationship to nature, and specifically wood as a resource and material, while considering paths toward a more eco-centric future. The resulting works will be exhibited at Hollenegg this month. Participating designers include Lukas Wegwerth, Kim Mupangilai, Charlotte Kingsnorth, Zoe Jo, and many more.  May 4-31

In Paris, Galerie kreo presents Spanish designer Jaime Hayon’s latest solo exhibition, Atelier Wonderland.  Three design collections are on display, spanning playful Murano glass mirrors; colorful, Mediterranean-inspired vases and chandeliers; and curvaceous walnut wood tables, exemplifying both Hayon’s passion for traditional crafts and his own vibrant visual language. The design pieces are ​​complemented by a series of recent, large-scale paintings that further nod to the fluid nature of the multi-talent’s exuberant practice. ’Til July 26th

New York’s Emma Scully Gallery presents its first solo show dedicated to Simone Bodmer-Turner. While the multidisciplinary artist is arguably best known for her abstract,  ceramic sculptures, A Year Without A Kiln encompasses new, non-ceramic lighting, furniture, and decorative yet functional objects, all created during 2023, a time of personal and creative transition when the artist moved from New York to a farmhouse in Massachusetts. As Bodmer-Turner explains: “This work came out of a certain moment of life where I was, and am, making my first true home–a home I intend to grow into and build for a lifetime. It’s also a direct result of my perpetual rumination on how a place can be deeply influential on both the design of a space and a body of work born out of it.” On view until June 22

The latest exhibition at Friedman Benda in New York highlights a selection of works by contemporary designers responding directly to the urgencies of our day. With an emphasis on material research and innovation, the pieces offer thoughtful commentary on overconsumption, the overexploitation of resources, and the search for sustainability. Participating designers include internationally renowned talents Hamed Ouattara (Burkina Faso), Max Lamb (UK), gt2P (Chile), Erez Nevi Pana (Israel), Marlène Huissoud (France), and others. Until June 15

Also this month, Friedman Benda and Albertz Benda galleries will present a pair of solo shows at their joint LA location: Jake Clark: Carolwood and Carmen D’Apollonio: Hallo Its me again, respectively. Clark, a New York-based Australian artist, will debut whimsical, outdoor ceramic sculptures—from bird baths to large scale planters and more—conceived as miniature tableaus inspired by the City of Angels. The self-taught, LA-based D’Apollonio, meanwhile, who is known for her evocative, sculptural lighting, will share recent works that demonstrate both her intuitive, often humorous approach and impressive material dexterity. May 15 - June 29

Last but not least, this month also welcomes the first-ever DESIGNMIAMI.LA fair. Our inaugural Los Angeles edition will take place within a private Holmby Hills estate designed by late architect Paul R. Williams. The 3-acre home will play host to a rich presentation of international collectible design galleries and site-specific exhibitions of historic and contemporary furniture, lighting, and objets d’art. The Los Angeles iteration is curated by Ashlee Harrison, whose Podium exhibition theme, “Master Works: Important Design, 1938–Present,” pays homage to the pioneers of design from the old world to today. The west coast fair also marks a new collaboration with Global Creative Director Henrik Purienne, who will provide art direction and the visual expression of Design Miami across our fairs in Los Angeles, Basel, Paris and Miami Beach. Inquire to attend here. May 16-20