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Art Deco is making a major comeback in Athena Calderone’s new collection by TINA KOVAČIĆEK
One of the more interesting
shifts in contemporary design is taking place at the intersection of interiors
and product design. The latest example is Assembler I, the debut furniture
collection from the studio of Athena Calderone, the interior designer, author
and founder of the EyeSwoon platform, as well as a leading figure in refined,
polished interior style. Presented by The Future Perfect, one of the most
important galleries and platforms for collectible design, the collection marks
her first major foray into the world of furniture and objects.
The 14-piece collection explores
the relationship between form, material and historical references, particularly
through the influence of French Art Deco and the Vienna Secession. Rather than
literally replicating historical styles, Calderone draws on their principles:
geometry, proportion, rhythm and a sensitivity to detail, translating them into
a contemporary language. As Calderone herself explains to Vogue, her interest
was not in creating a “retro” collection, but in exploring how historical
design languages can be reinterpreted through contemporary life. Her work
consistently returns to the idea that spaces and objects should possess
emotion, depth and a story.
From interiors to objects
Calderone is known for interiors
that resemble carefully composed scenes: stone, wood, metal, vintage
references, art and natural materials. Through the lifestyle platform EyeSwoon,
she has built a distinctive visual world, not only through decorating spaces
but by creating an entire lifestyle language. Assembler I is a natural
continuation of that approach: what she previously expressed through selecting
pieces and styling interiors, she now translates into objects of her own. It
also seems to reflect a successful formula that is becoming increasingly
common, as interior designers no longer simply choose products for a space, but
increasingly conceive, create and produce them. And that is perfectly fine!
Art Deco and the Vienna Secession
are back
The collection draws on early
20th-century design, especially French Art Deco and the Vienna Secession.
Calderone studied their principles: precise geometry, the balance between
luxury and simplicity, and the way a detail can define an entire object. One of
the collection’s key motifs is chamfered edges, inspired by a glass vase from
the 1930s that the designer had been studying. This detail recurs across the
furniture, lighting and hardware, becoming the visual signature of the entire
collection. Large, almost sculptural proportions are balanced by delicate
finishing details, making the pieces feel monumental yet highly understated.
The handmade quality is visible
here because the designer focused on contrasts: between precision and warmth,
architectural form and traces of craftsmanship. Calderone uses high-gloss
lacquered wood, sustainable parchment, nickel details and hand-finished
surfaces, creating objects that feel sophisticated and warm at the same time.
“Design today is simply moving in a warmer, more layered and perhaps slightly
less singular direction,” Calderone notes. That is precisely why the small
imperfections, textures and marks of craftsmanship in her collection give the
pieces the sense of objects that have already lived a life.
It seems that slow luxury is still making its
presence felt among the trends, with value placed on pieces grounded in
proportion, longevity and a sensitivity to detail. Objects we do not buy
because they are “on trend”, but because they become more valuable over time.
A good day for Deco
The National Hotel Miami Beach is spearheading a legal battle to safeguard the architectural heritage of Miami Beach, renowned for its Art Deco buildings. The hotel has filed a federal case, New National, LLC v. City of Miami Beach, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. This action follows the city's approval of a 15-storey modern residential tower at the Ritz-Carlton/Sagamore site on Collins Avenue, which the hotel argues threatens the integrity of the Miami Beach Architectural Historic District.
Miami Beach boasts the world's largest concentration of Art Deco architecture, a key attraction for millions of tourists annually. The National Hotel, a 1939 landmark, has maintained its original Art Deco features and is determined to protect the district's unique character. "Every postcard, every advertisement, every marketing piece of the City of Miami Beach, it's all about the Art Deco and the buildings," said Yaser Mohamad of The National Hotel Miami Beach.
The proposed Ritz-Carlton Residences tower was initially rejected by the Miami Beach Historic Preservation Board in 2021 and 2022 due to incompatibility with the historic district. However, a redesigned version was approved in 2023, raising concerns about a $12 million (£9.8 million) commitment involving taxpayer funds.
The National Hotel highlights successful preservation efforts like The Delano Hotel's $100 million (£81.7 million) restoration as evidence that development and heritage can coexist. As the case continues, the hotel aims to raise awareness of the importance of preserving Miami Beach's architectural identity for future generations
Eduardo Arroyo, Ramoneur (Chimney Sweep), (1980)
Eduardo Arroyo was a notable Spanish painter, graphic artist, author, and set designer, recognized as a key figure in politically engaged realism and the Narrative Figuration movement across Europe. Motivated by his strong disdain for General Francisco Franco’s dictatorship, he left Spain at 21. In Paris, he transitioned from writing to self-taught figurative painting. After Franco’s death and the reestablishment of democracy, Arroyo reclaimed his Spanish citizenship and returned to his homeland. His artwork soon achieved widespread recognition across the country, establishing him as a key figure in modern Spanish art.
Arroyo often used sandpaper as his signature medium in striking collages, such as Ramoneur (Chimney Sweep), which features a variety of sandpaper colors and surfaces to create the distinctive top-hatted figure, and in his mixed-media works. He used the abrasive texture of sandpaper both as a stylistic element and a conceptual device to produce bold, politically charged art. This choice went beyond simple texture—it supported his anti-establishment stance and frequently conveyed sharp social critiques. By employing a material typically associated with stripping, scraping, and smoothing surfaces, he visually underscored his criticism of dictators, traditional Spanish gentlemen, and renowned artists.
Artists don’t merely create beauty
Artists don’t merely create beauty out of the chaos. They create beauty by drawing on our shared culture.
Edward Hopper, Room in Brooklyn, 1932. Oil on canvas.
—Karen Rosenberg in the NY Times, Nov. 22, 2022
Orpheus Leading Eurydice from the Underworld
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Camille Corot was much beloved during his
lifetime for his ethereal, dreamy landscapes that often combined scenes from
mythology with a very personal interpretation of nature observed. Claude Monet
himself said, "There is only one master here: Corot."
Camille Corot was much beloved during his lifetime for his ethereal, dreamy landscapes that often combined scenes from mythology with a very personal interpretation of nature observed. Claude Monet himself said, "There is only one master here: Corot."
In this painting, the fabled musician Orpheus--who beguiled the Greek gods to allow him to retrieve his beloved wife, who had been fatally bitten by a snake--leads her tenderly from the underworld. In ancient times, it was believed that the deceased continued to exist as spirits, seen here gathered in small groups beneath the delicate trees. Corot, a great music lover, has imbued this work with a sense of melancholy lyricism that hints at the tragic end of the story: Orpheus loses Eurydice forever when he turns to look at her before reaching the world of the living.
The sense of filtered reality is enhanced by Corot's extraordinarily subtle use of color. He strikes a wistfully sweet tonal chord, carefully modulating a narrow range of grays, greens, and blues. Orpheus Leading Eurydice from the Underworld looks forward to the artist's signature paintings, the Souvenirs and Memoires, in which Corot removes all narrative elements and lets his landscapes stand as "pure" objects.
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