“There are so many exquisite objects to explore, and the booths are more dynamic and beautiful than ever!”

As the 18th edition of our flagship fair opens to the public today, our own Grela Orihuela, Design Miami/ Vice President of Fairs, encapsulates what seems to be a growing consensus following yesterday’s private preview: our latest show is particularly eye-pleasing. We’re beyond proud of our exhibitors for delivering such high quality presentations.

Faced with so many outstanding options, our intrepid Best of Show jury—including Ms. Orihuela along with renowned architect Lee Mindel and expert art advisor Simon Andrews—found the selection process this year to be unusually challenging, resulting in ties across two out of four Best of Show categories. To which we say: the more the merrier!

Please join us in extending a big congratulations to Design Miami/ 2022’s Best of Show winners:

Best Gallery Presentation: Magen H Gallery & Sarah Myerscough Gallery

Tied for Best Gallery Presentation are New York’s Magen H Gallery and London’s Sarah Myerscough Gallery. These exhibitors’ “carefully and elegantly curated installations,” in Andrews words, captured the overarching spirit of this year’s fair—the former through finely crafted mid-century French designs from visionaries like Hervé Baley, Le Corbusier, and Pierre Chapo; and the latter thanks to the boundary-pushing, hand-made creations of contemporary designer-makers like Peter Marigold, Christopher Kurtz, and Eleanor Lakelin. According to Mindel, Magen H’s rich woods and Sarah Myerscough’s textured light and color exemplified this year’s “dominant themes of natural forms and materials, the mark of hand, and references to tropical locales,” which can be seen throughout the show.

Best Curio Presentation: Tuleste Factory & Stroll Garden

Two innovative, young galleries share the title for Best Curio Presentation. One is Tuleste Factory of New York, offering a vibrant, monochromatic ensemble of new works from buzzworthy rising talents. The other is Stroll Garden of Los Angeles, with its garden-like installation centered around a charming series of bubbling water fountains by ceramics artist Lily Clark. Mindel applauds the seductive, otherworldly quality achieved by Tuleste Factory, as well as Stroll Garden’s inventive aesthetic references to Luis Barragán and Palm Springs.

Best Historical Work: Sculptural Dining Table by José Zanine Caldas, presented by Diletante42

Making the most of its Design Miami/ debut, São Paulo-based gallery Diletante42 earned the Best Historical Work award for a one-of-a-kind table by José Zanine Caldas. Andrews says this “tour-de-force” was sculpted by the Brazilian master in 1977, “from a massive trunk of fallen timber and celebrates the renewal of natural materials.” Mindel adds that the piece “remained with its original owner until last year and represents the ultimate expression of conservation.”

Best Contemporary Work: Gold and Platinum Cleft Chairs by Max Lamb, presented by Gallery FUMI

A pair of hand-wrought, gold and platinum lacquered wood chairs by Max Lamb, represented by London-based Gallery FUMI, took this year’s prize for Best Contemporary work. Andrews tells us, “Max’s handcrafted chairs reveal a level of sophistication that belies the superficially rudimentary personality of their assembly; the precious lacquer cladding celebrates the unadulterated beauty of the raw, hewn timber.” Mindel notes that Lamb “consistently asks the material what it wants to be—an approach that has resulted in highly refined jewels of design.”

Cheers to these deserving winners—and to all of our exhibitors for making this show extra special and extra gorgeous! ◆