THE BASEL CHRONICLES II - NILUFAR GALLERY MILANO AT DESIGN MIAMI/ BASEL
Nilufar Gallery was founded in 1979 by Nina Yashar - one of Italy’s most inspirational furniture dealers.
In the late nineties, Nina opened Nilufar Gallery on Via della Spiga in Milano which has been ever since the reference point for collectable historical, modernist and contemporary furniture design.
Later, in 2015 a second space opened its doors to the public. Located in a warehouse not far from Garibaldi train station, Nilufar Depot showcases over 3,000 pieces of historic and contemporary designs that Nina has collected over the past thirty years, along with new creations of young talents.
Milan-based architect Massimiliano Locatelli - who often displayed his furniture designs at the Nilufar showroom on Via della Spiga, was appointed for the interior architecture of the depot. The result is a stunning space with a central atrium encircled by three storeys of black metal balconies, inspired by the Milan's unrivaled Teatro alla Scala.
Working closely with her sister Nilu and their small team of five people, Nina curates extraordinary pieces which she displays at international design fairs such as the Pavillon des Arts et du Design (PAD) in Paris or Design Miami/Basel where they were present last month.
Nilufar stand at Deisign Miami | Basel 2018 ⓒ Nilufar Gallery, Milan
Design Miami/ Basel 2018
The selection of furniture in bright colours and dynamic shapes exhibited last month at DesignMiami/ Basel is a mix of aesthetics bringing to focus Nina Yashar's deep-rooted interest in mid-century Brazilian furniture, brilliantly matched with the historic Italian design - the gallery’s trademark.
The setting displayed a couple of elegant armchairs by Jorge Zalszupin and two Zig Zag lounge chairs by Estúdio de Arte Palma: LBB and Palanti, placed around an off‐cut low table by Martino Gamper, which had been used in the foyer of the Teatro Cultura Artística, São Paulo, Brazil.
Nilufar stand at Design Miami/ Basel 2018 - on display Jorje Zalszupin's red cavalino armchairs, Zig Zag lounge chairs by Estúdio de Arte Palma: LBB and Palanti and off‐cut low table designed by Martino Gamper
Armchair model 801, Brasil, 1961, on display at Nilufar stand, Design Miami 2018 ⓒ Daniele Iodice
Design: Jorge Zalszupin,
Manufactured by L'Atelier Jacaranda wood, upholstered with red Cavallino
Size: 72 x 76 x h 77 cm/ 28.3 x 29.9 x h 30.3 in
Detail of Armchair 801 by Jorje Zalszupin ⓒDaniele Iodice
Off‐Cut low table, UK, 2018, on display at Nilufar stand, Design Miami 2018
Design: Martino Gamper
Reclaimed teak, Unique piece customizable for colors and dimensions
Size: 123 x 147 x h 45 cm / 48.4 x 57.9 x h 17.7 in
ⓒDaniele Iodice
Zig Zag armchairs, Brazil 1949 - 50, on display at Nilufar stand, Design Miami 2018, ⓒ Daniele Iodice
Design: Giancarlo Palanti
Manufactured by Estúdio de Arte palma, LBB and Palanti, Sāo Paulo
Cabreuva wood, Cavallino leather upholstery
Size: 55,4 x 90 x h 81,5 cm / 21,8 x 35,4 x h 32,1 in
Detail of Zig Zag armchair. ⓒ Daniele Iodice
The Tre bracci floor lamp by Gino Sarfatti cast a beautiful silhouette on The Spättan carpet designed by Barbro Nilsson, hung on the wall next to Vittorio Introini's chromed steel and glass Proposal bookcases.
Tre bracci floor lamp mod. 1052 Italy, 1951, on display at Nilufar stand, Design Miami 2018, photo: Daniele Iodice
Design: Gino Sarfatti
Manufactured and signed by Arteluce
Painted cast iron, polished and painted brass, laquered aluminium Size: h 210 cm, h 82.7 in
Spättan carpet designed, Sweden, 1943, on display at Nilufar stand, Design Miami 2018, photo: Daniele Iodice
Design: Barbro Nilsson
Manufactured by AB Märta Måås-Fjetterström
Signed AB MMF BN; Hand woven Wool; Size: 300 x 452 cm / 118.1 x 177.9 in
Three Proposal bookcases Italy, 1969, on display at Nilufar stand, Design Miami 2018, photo: Daniele Iodice
Design: Vittorio Introini
Manufactured by Saporiti
Chromed steel, glass; Single module size: 65x37xh232cm / 25.5x14.5xh 91.3 in
Detail of Proposal bookcases Italy, 1969, photo. Daniele Iodice
Design: Vittorio Introini
Chromed steel, glass
Ettore Sottsass's Minareto sculpture sat next to Jorge Zalszupin 's cabinet and Plato Guacamayas wall-hung carpet designed by Jorge Lizarazo and manufactured by Hechizoo Colombia.
Plato Guacamayas carpet, Colombia, 2016, on display at Nilufar stand, Design Miami/ Basel 2018, photo: Daniele Iodice
Design: Jorge Lizarazo
Manufactured by Hechizoo
Copper and natural fibres, handwoven, bespoke colours and dimensions;
Size: d 1.65 cm / d 0.65 in
"Minareto / Totem sculpture, Italy, 1995, on display at Nilufar stand, Design Miami/ Basel 2018, photo: Daniele Iodice
Design: Ettore Sottsass for EAD, Mirabili collection
Manufactured by Flavia Bitoss, 13 elements, signed
Polychrome glazed ceramic, lacquered wood;
Size: 48 x 48 x h 204 cm /18.9 x 18.9 x h 80.3 in
Cabinet, Brazil, 1960s, on display at Nilufar stand, Design Miam/ Basel 2018, photo: Daniele Iodice
Design: Jorge Zalszupin
Manufactured by L’Atelier Jacarandá wood, aluminium
Size: 251 x 40 x h 71 cm / 98.8 x 15.7 x h 27.9 in
The colourful room dividers designed by Martino Gamper were paired with the Crosette floor lamp by Michael Anastassiades.
Pair of Paraventissimo 01 e 02 screens, UK, 2014, on display at Nilufar stand, Design Miam/ Basel 2018, photo: Daniele Iodice
Design: Martino Gamper
Plywood, lino heat treated oak, maple; Custom colours and dimension
Two “Crossette” floor lamps – Fontana Amorosa collection, UK, 2017, on display at Nilufar stand, Design Miam/ Basel 2018, photo: Daniele Iodice
Design: Michael Anastassiades
6 lights, Nilufar limited edition of 45 examples + 2 APs CE certificate provided
Red patina brass, mouth blown opaline spheres Black braided flex, inline dimmer; size: diam 72 x h 180 cm | sfere diam 8 cm /
diam 28.3 x h 70.8 in | diam spheres 3.1 in
Gino Sarfatti's ceiling lamp by and the Arredoluce floor lamp in bronze and marble enhanced the light in the space.
Floor lamp, 19 lights, Italy, 1950s, on display at Nilufar stand, Design Miami/ Basel 2018, photo: Daniele Iodice
Designed and manufactured by Arredoluce
bronze, marble, size: 35.5 x h 217 cm / 14 x h 85.5 in
Detail of Floor lamp, 19 lights, Italy, 1950s, bronze, marble
Designed and manufactured by Arredoluce, photo: Daniele Iodice
Ceiling lamp, Italy, 1940s, on display at Nilufar stand, Design Miam/ Basel 2018, photo: Daniele Iodice
Design: Gino Sarfatti
Manufactured and signed by Arteluce
laquered aluminium, brass; size: 100 x h 85 cm/ d 39.4 x h 33,4 in
Example provided with expertise by Archivio Sarfatti
Detail of Ceiling lamp, Italy, 1940s, photo: Daniele Iodice
Design: Gino Sarfatti
Manufactured and signed by Arteluce
Six chairs designed by Augusto Bozzi and manufactured by Saporiti complimented the Poligonal table in ebonized jacaranda wood, painted steel and backpainted glass top designed by Joaquim Tenreiro.
Chairs, Italy, 1950s, photo: Daniele Iodice
Design: Augusto Bozzi
Manufactured by Saporiti
Painted steel, leather upholstery
Size: 44 x 49 x h 80 | seat h 44 cm / 17,3 x 19,2 x h 31,4 | h seat h 17,3 in
Poligonal table, Brazil, 1958, photo: Daniele Iodice
Design: Joaquim Tenreiro
Ebonized jacaranda wood, painted steel, backpainted glass
size: 234 x 108.6 x h74 cm / 92 x 42.8 x h 29 in
Lina Bo Bardi, Giancarlo Palanti, Studio d’Arte Palma ~ 1948–1951
Presented by Nilufar Gallery at Design at Large - Design Miami/ Basel 2018
Design at Large is dedicated to large-scale historical and contemporary design pieces as well as innovative architectural installations. Organised around the theme '20th and 21st century architectral expression', this edition was curated by photographer François Halard.
One of the exhibition's highlights was the collecion of unique furniture presented by Nilufar Gallery.
Nilufar Gallery at Design at Large Design Miami/ Basel 2018 ⓒ James Harris
Nilufar Gallery has been participating in Design Miami/ Basel since its first edition back in 2005, constantly presenting rare collectable furniture pieces. This year, the gallery displayed an unprecedented Lina Bo Bardi collection of furniture, the biggest ever exhibited, produced by the Estúdio de Arte e Arquitetura Palma. Together with the Italo-Brazilian architect Giancarlo Palanti, the founder of Estúdio de Arte e Arquitetura Palma, Bo Bardi had designed and produced several unique furniture pieces which were on display this year at Design at Large - Design Miami/ Basel. The exhibition was meticulously curated by Nina Yashar - who was recently appointed founding member of the new International Committee of the Lina Bo Bardi Institute, with the support of Instituto Bardi / Casa de Vidro.
Launched during Milano Design Week 2018, the collection is currently on show at Nilufar Depot on Viale Lancetti 43, Milano until 29 December 2018.