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For the tenth anniversary edition of Design Miami/ Basel, Armel Soyer featured Bulgy Inverted in a salon-themed presentation which grouped a selection of works from gallery artists.

Booth installation.

Bulgy Inverted, 2014.

Photos by James Harris

Ifeanyi’s minimalist and futuristic vision draws on a modernist ethos informed by his architecture studies at the Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago; the Architectural Association, London; and Columbia University, New York. As an architect, artist and designer of Nigerian origin, he is a world citizen who seeks inspiration from diverse sources across the globe. These wide-ranging influences vary from the residual undercurrents of Miesian modernism and its significance to the performative potential of materials in relation to the body, all of which operate at the intersections of art, architecture and design. He has worked for the offices of John Ronan Architects, Chicago; Zaha Hadid Architects, London; and has collaborated with the fashion design studio of Hussein Chalayan. In 2003 he joined the London-based structural engineering practice AKT II where he worked within their Parametric Applied Research Team to develop an integrated approach to explore and represent complex architectural scenarios. Throughout both his academic and professional experiences, Ifeanyi has combined his interest for art, culture and technology, consequently founding Expand Design and presenting a debut collection in 2010 at Milan Design Week. Since then his works have been widely exhibited internationally, with participations in both historical and contemporary shows at the Vitra Design Museum; Guggenheim Bilbao; Kunsthal Rotterdam; Swiss Institute New York; and the Shenzhen Biennale. In 2016, he was shortlisted for the Hublot Design Prize. In 2019, Ifeanyi was named a rising star by Powerlist UK.

Ifeanyi lives and works in London.

For the 2015 edition of Art Paris held at the Grand Palais from March 26th – 29th, Armel Soyer presented a selection from the gallery, including Contoured Crater Desk and Bench.

Photo Courtesy Galerie Armel Soyer.

Arts.21 TV Mag, Deutsche Welle

Deutsche Welle covers ‘Making Africa’ in the March 28 episode of Arts.21, where you can hear from curator Amelie Klein and a handful of participants featured in the show.

Andrea Kasiske. Arts.21 – The Cultural Magazine, Deutsche Welle, Broadcast March 28 2015
http://www.dw.de/arts21-the-cultural-magazine/av-18347535

Section D Radio Show, Monocle 24

For Episode 178, Monocle 24’s design radio show Section D focused on design in Africa, with David Plaisant chatting with Vitra’s ‘Making Africa’ curator Amelie Klein and Tom Morris moderating a roundtable discussion in conjunction with Pierre-Christophe Gam.

Tom Morris. “Modern Africa.” Episode 178, Section D Radio Presentation, Monocle 24, Broadcast March 10 2015
http://monocle.com/radio/shows/section-d/178/

Madame Mag – Air France

Blue Milk makes an appearance in Madame Magazine’s Art Opening feature styled by France de Jerphanion and shot on location at Galerie Armel Soyer by Antoine Harinthe.

“Art Opening.” Madame, Air France, Issue 166. March 2015
Feature available to download via link below:

Harper’s Bazaar, China

Dior Haute Couture collides with Full Circle in the April edition of Harper’s Bazaar China!

Art directed by Jian Yueshu and shot by photographer Cécile Bortoletti on location at Salle Principale Gallery, Paris.

Stylist: Cheney Chen, assisted by Sid Yahao Sun and Ryan You.

“Art on Demand.” Harper’s Bazaar, China. April 2015.
Feature available to download via link below:

Vitra Design Museum’s ‘Making Africa‘ is now open until the fall when it travels to the Guggenheim Bilbao.

Divided into 4 parts, the show presents a unique perspective on the creative diversity of the continent with the examples drawn from art and design connected by the strand of multidisciplinarity. In the words of curator Amelie Klein, ‘making’ here is presented to “challenge our complacency with mass production,” as well as illustrate the “transformative potential of design” in parallel to socio-political advancements on the continent.

Part 1, The Prologue, explores ways of seeing.

Part 2, I and We, explores identity and belonging.

Part 3 explores the theme of ‘space and object’ in relation to the urban environment, emphasising informality as engine driving the continent.

Part 4 explores the theme of ‘origin and future’.

Enjoy this wonderful video presentation from Vernissage TV.
Video stills by Vernissage TV.

Splice, Aluminium, 2012
790 x 820 x 460 mm / 31.1 x 32.3 x 18.1 in

Splice will be featured in ‘Making Africa – A Continent of Contemporary Design’ at the Vitra Design Museum. The show is curated by Vitra’s Amelie Klein with Okwui Enwezor, director of Munich’s Haus der Kunst and the 2015 Venice Art Biennale, as consulting curator.

The exhibition assembles work from over 120 artists, architects and designers working within the continent and diaspora, with a view to showcasing the transformative potentials for design in the 21st century.

From March 14th through September 13th 2015, before travelling to the Guggenheim Bilbao in the fall.

For additional details – http://www.design-museum.de/en/exhibitions/detailseiten/making-africa.html

Happy Holidays!

2015 marks the 5th anniversary of Expand Design, look out for exciting news and projects in the New Year.

BULGY Inverted, Stainless Steel
1580 x 400 x 886 mm / 62.2 x 15.7 x 34.9 in
Edition of 4 + 1AP + 1P

A free standing construct in mirror polished stainless steel which reverses the design principles central to the wall-mounted series.

Here, substructure is exaggerated to form a universe of functional planar surfaces which collide with the draped curve. Multiple reflective surfaces blur the distinction between interior and exterior.

Photos Courtesy of Galerie Armel Soyer.

September:
Design Indaba
Design Indaba profile by Tapiwa Matsinde.

Tapiwa Matsinde. “Fluid Forms.” Design Indaba, September 4 2014
http://www.designindaba.com/articles/interviews/fluid-forms

Art Base Africa
Interview with Burcu Yancatarol Yagiz featured in the sophomore issue of Art Base Africa.

Burcu Yancatarol Yagiz. “Ifeanyi Oganwu: Designing Expanded Experience.” Art Base Africa, Issue 3, September 2014
http://www.artbaseafrica.org/issue/2/ifeanyi-oganwu-designing-expanded-experience

October:
AD España
Galerie Armel Soyer featured in AD España’s list of Design Temples.

Rocio Ley. “10 Temples of Design.” AD España, October 2014.
Feature available to download via link below:

Omenka
Interview with Bomi Odufunade featured in fall issue of Omenka Magazine.

Bomi Odufunade. “Ifeanyi Oganwu.” Omenka, Volume 1, Issue 4, October 2014.
Feature available to download via link below:

A free standing construct in mirror polished stainless steel which reverses the design principles central to the wall-mounted series.

For the 2014 edition of Design Miami / Basel, Galerie Armel Soyer’s presentation included Blue Milk, Contoured Crater and Bulgy Inverted. During the fair, the gallery welcomed collectors, industry professionals, friends and enthusiasts at the dynamic booth.
Photos by James Harris.

Following Galerie Armel Soyer’s presentation at the inaugural edition of Design Shanghai, Contoured Crater is featured in the May edition of Elle Decor China.

The short feature on editorial favorites praises Armel Soyer’s dedication to collaborating with artists and artisans in the making of beautifully crafted works, including the Contoured Crater that is “inspired by natural craters and made up of 50 birch ply slabs that are assembled in the form of a crater.”

“Favorites.” Elle Décor China, May 2014. Feature available to download via link below: