DESIGN DISPATCH

Invisible Collection Sets Up Shop at Phillips, and Other News

Our daily look at the world through the lens of design.

Invisible Collection at Phillips Los Angeles. Photography by Rodrigo Rize

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Invisible Collection Sets Up Shop at Phillips

Invisible Collection is no stranger to opening pop-ups in collector-rich locales like Southampton and Aspen, but the design-minded e-commerce platform is setting up shop at Phillips Los Angeles throughout the year. The marketplace has curated the auction house’s private client room with a rotating series of exceptional furniture and lighting from premier European ateliers like Studio MTX, one of Chanel’s Métiers d’Art, that resonate with Los Angeles glamour. Another round of hand-picked pieces by the likes of Pierre Bonnefille, Thierry Lemaire, and Garcé & Dimofski will accompany Phillips and Art for Change’s exhibition “Fully Bloomed” until Friday. —Ryan Waddoups

“The Make-Believer (Monet’ Garden)” (2016) by Amy Sherald, which is part of Richard Hedreen’s art collection being donated to Seattle University. Image via Amy Sherald and Hauser & Wirth

Seattle University receives a $300 million art collection from developer Richard Hedreen.

Seattle University recently announced plans for a new art museum, propelled by a generous donation of a $300 million art collection and $25 million in seed money from real estate developer Richard Hedreen. The donation marks the largest in the university’s history. Hedreen’s collection, spanning from the 15th century to contemporary times and featuring notable artists like Thomas Gainsborough and Lucian Freud, intends to serve as a valuable teaching tool for students. The museum, honoring Hedreen’s late wife, Betty, an alumna of Seattle University, aims to foster learning and discussion within both the university community and the broader public. Discussions with an architect have already commenced, with the project expected to take three to five years to complete thanks to the immediate funding provided.

NIST’s preliminary report on the Surfside condo collapse indicates key structural flaws.

The ongoing National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) investigation into the 2021 collapse of Champlain Towers South in Florida recently unveiled preliminary details, shedding light on the exact moment of the pool deck’s collapse and underlying structural deficiencies. The report highlights critical design flaws and failures to meet building codes, indicating broader concerns about the building’s support columns, foundation, site, and steel reinforcements. Local officials have expressed concerns about the broader implications for similar constructions from that era. Zaha Hadid Architects is proposing a replacement tower for the site, purchased by DAMAC International. NIST anticipates releasing a final report by fall 2025 after completing thorough technical analyses, with costs for the investigation exceeding $30 million thus far.

“Shorter Than the Day” (2020) by Sarah Sze at LaGuardia Airport’s Terminal B. Photography by Nicholas Knight, courtesy of Public Art Fund

After years of a bad reputation, LaGuardia now ranks among the country’s best airports.

LaGuardia Airport in New York has undergone a major transformation, moving on from its notorious status as one of the country’s worst airports to being recognized as the best airport in North America for its size category by the Airports Council International. This turnaround comes after a multibillion-dollar renovation project spanning five years, which resulted in the completion of new terminals and improved facilities. Passenger satisfaction drastically increased in areas such as ambience, cleanliness, security screening, and dining facilities, leading to LaGuardia’s ASQ award win and a notable rise in overall passenger satisfaction ratings.

According to a new report, this past year’s global art market value fell by four percent.

The global art market, after two years of post-pandemic recovery, decreased by 4 percent last year to $65 billion, as reported in the eighth annual Global Art Market Report released by UBS/Art Basel. This decline, attributed to decreasing sales of high-value works priced at $10 million and above, was influenced by factors such as rising interest rates, inflation, and geopolitical instability. Notably, the U.S., despite its dominance, saw a 10 percent decrease in its domestic art market, while the U.K. experienced an 8 percent decline, exacerbated by persisting Brexit issues. However, post-pandemic spending in China and Hong Kong partially offset the global decline, with sales up 9 percent year-on-year. Despite this, there is optimism about increasing sales volume in lower-tier galleries and online sales channels.

Twelve artists have been shortlisted for the fifth and sixth High Line Plinth commissions.

High Line Art revealed the shortlisted artists for the High Line Plinth Commissions, showcasing Camille Henrot, Tuan Andrew Nguyen, and Mire Lee, the latter whose commission for Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall will debut in October. Henrot’s entry is a bronze sculpture of a barn owl, evoking magic and nostalgia from Jim Henson’s The Labyrinth. Nguyen’s entry pays homage to the Bamiyan Buddhas, while Lee’s aims to serve as a shrine for community prayers. Scale models of the shortlisted proposals will be displayed adjacent to the plinth starting March 19.

A backdrop from “Willy’s Chocolate Experience.” Image courtesy of Monorail Music, via eBay

Today’s attractive distractions:

What’s the price of a childhood spent influencing to support their family? 

A Pentagon report says the U.S. has “no evidence” of alien technology.

Backdrops from the disastrous Willy Wonka Experience are up for auction.

Amedeo Capelli’s hand-operated automatons star energetic little figurines.

All Stories