Alongside booths from 34 of the world’s leading galleries and 18 unique Curio presentations, the 16th edition of Design Miami/ Basel this June debuts an exciting new program of collaborations called Special Satellite Projects. Here’s a rundown of what to expect.

Superblue returns to Basel for a second year to once again take over the 2,500-square-meter ground floor of the fair, greeting visitors as they first enter with Pulse Topology, the latest from pioneering Mexican-Canadian artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer. Comprising 6,000 lightbulbs suspended at different heights, Lozano-Hemmer’s monumental installation detects and reflects the heartbeats of its audience members, translating an interior force to an exterior form as the piece glows and fades in the spirit of a memento mori.

On the upper floor of the fair, V Over M Digital is showcasing 100 newly minted Chromie Squiggles NFTs by Snow-fro (aka Erick Calderon) displayed in a unique, free-standing cube designed by digital printing specialists Infinite Objects. This is the first time that the crowd-pleasing, neon-hued Chromie Squiggles have been minted for an exhibition at a global contemporary art and design venue.

Next up we have Irish woodworking artist Joseph Walsh’s Material Culture, an assemblage of meticulously crafted works inspired by the free, uplifting, and ever-changing grace found in the natural world. From large-scale sculptures to one-of-a-kind site-specific commissions and collectible design editions, Walsh’s signature creative process yields solid objects that capture the fluidity and immediacy of a sketch.

Another Special Satellite Project comes from the Art and Culture Development Foundation of the Republic of Uzbekistan: Object of Architecture, the international unveiling of the foundation’s new renovation project in cooperation with French Studio KO. Aimed to open by the end of 2023, the new Center for Contemporary Art will be hosted in an historical building in Tashkent that facilitates a dynamic, immersive experience.

Finally, Galleria Antonella Villanova’s Special Satellite focuses on the work of Diego Cibelli, presenting three one-of-a-kind thrones composed entirely of ceramics from the Italian artist’s pandemic-inspired Meditation in an Emergency series curated by Emanuela Nobile Mino. Though monumental in both subject and scale, the installation is softened by the familiar quality of the objects that make up the assemblages: a triumph of vegetables, fruits, flowers, leaves, and fragments of classical pottery. In this way, the project speculates on a future in which luxury is synonymous with the dignity of simplicity.

None of this would be possible without Design Miami/ Basel’s amazing partners. Forward-facing Audi Germany is supporting the fair this June with an all-electric shuttle service, while masterful French champagne producer Perrier-Jouët provides everyone’s favorite bubbly. For our exhibitors, Crozier handles-with-care all of the shipping and storing of their precious objects. And iconic furniture brands Artek and Vitra give everyone a comfortable place to rest while enjoying all the amazing things Design Miami/ Basel has to offer. We can't wait to welcome you to the show! ◆

Design Miami/ Basel is open to the public June 14-19, 2022. Preview Day, by invitation only, is June 13.

Tickets are on sale now! Purchase here.