Sculptor Misha Kahn is endlessly inventive, currently appearing in the television show, “The Exhibit: Finding the Next Great Artist” by the Smithsonian and MTV, while simultaneously exhibiting a new show – Staged – at Friedman Benda Los Angeles. Running through June 2nd, the show is set in the gallery’s new 2,800+ sq. ft home, adding an interesting domestic dynamic to the pieces on display. Themes of personal acceptance and loving your own chaos run throughout, including pieces such as the Ammonoid Delta chair, Pig of the Earth sofa, and Hold the Line lamp.

Kahn explained: “Friedman Benda’s new LA space provided the opportunity to show in a more domestic space, loosely suggesting how these disparate suspects might temporarily live together before something goes awry. The works’ internal tensions come to light on their surfaces.”

“These past few years have been about accepting the way I work, learning to love my chaos rather than trying to escape it… and instead welcoming you into my vortex,” shared Kahn. “Some pieces in the show are such an invitation; however, by limiting the result to a particular material, such as in the handwoven mohair of Stephens Tapestry, the resulting piece Swatching Space Time creates a complete bacchanal of media and imaginary digital weaving. Bits of string and crumpled paper mix with VR brushstrokes. A scanned piece of gum clings to a loose thread. This swatch – an expansive carpet by human standards – is but a tiny sample of infinite possibility.”

Aura Stool

“After a decade with Friedman Benda, and a few previous outings in LA (at Dries van Noten’s The Little House in 2021 and M+B in 2019), I’ve murdered quite a few things. It felt like it was now time to take a string and carefully tie together all these creative explorations I’d left behind with the goal of hopefully arriving at some kind of closure – which is taking place, a little ‘too conveniently,’ in a house.”

Azimuth Mirror

Ammonoid Delta

Cloud Flavor

Dusk’s Raveled Whisps

Extremophile Folly

Filler Queen

Bois Brule

Hold the Line

Larvae Chalice

Limax Cinereoniger’s House Not Yours

Hellenistic Vector

Miss Fishy

Oneiromantic Tendencies

Shell Lamp

Raspberry

Swatching Space Time

Time Tracers

To learn more about Misha Kahn’s Staged, visit friedmanbenda.com.

Kelly Beall is senior editor at Design Milk. The Pittsburgh-based graphic designer and writer has had a deep love of art and design for as long as she can remember, and enjoys sharing her finds with others. When undistracted by great art and design, she can be found making a mess in the kitchen, consuming as much information as possible, or on the couch with her three pets. Find her @designcrush on social.

Italian brand Contardi Lighting recently collaborated with designer Adam Tihany to tackle the question of “What is green lighting?” From this exploration of design and ecological values, they designed Air, a new suspension lamp that’s as decorative as it is functional and, even better, 100% recyclable. Featuring a dual lampshade design, Air creates a warm, enveloping ambience while casting plays of light and shadow through its engraved laser cuts.

From production to packaging, all considerations were made to reduce Air’s impact on the planet. The body of the light is made from Green Cast, an acrylic material that not only recycles industrial waste and end-of-life products, but can be 100% recycled rather than tossed into a landfill. Even after an infinite number of cycles, Green Cast retains its aesthetic, mechanical, and thermal qualities. To further reduce Air’s footprint, Contardi Lighting applies the cream-colored finish during the creation of the light, skipping the lacquering phase and lessening the environment impact.

Beyond Air’s sustainability appeal, the light’s laser-cut design beckons a closer look. The double lampshades evoke the perception that the lamp is floating both upwards and downwards. Upper and lower LED lights cast a full glow around the room, creating a warm and cozy ambience.

To learn more about Air, visit contardi-usa.com.

As the Lifestyle editor, Vy Yang is obsessed with discovering ways to live well + with intention through design. She’s probably sharing what she finds over on Instagram stories. You can also find her at vytranyang.com.

In 2021, we announced a conceptual collection – SEYUN – designed and manufactured by Zaha Hadid Design and Karimoku Furniture. Today, we’re happy to share that it’s left the proverbial nest behind and exists as a chair, an armchair, and a table in different dimensions. Introduced at Milan Design Week 2023, the SEYUN collection echoes Hadid’s design language and is crafted in oak using a combination of machine-made and hand-finished processes.

A story of the hardness of the wood meeting the lightness of the design makes these furniture pieces unique, as does the series of conjoined asymmetrical surfaces that reference Hadid’s aesthetic. Natural elegance is conveyed through the blending of traditional Japanese woodworking techniques with contemporary design. SEYUN is available in a selection of finishes: Pure Oak, Smoked Oak, Grain Matte Black, Metallic Blue, Metallic Black, and Silver.

“We are delighted to see our collaboration with Karimoku Furniture continuing so fruitfully, each piece of the SEYUN collection is the result of the truly osmotic process between designers and manufacturers. Our teams worked together at every stage of the project, mutually exchanging skills and expertise, discussing ideas and finding solutions, both formally and technically,” says Woody Yao, director of Zaha Hadid Design.

SEYUN Chair Photo: Masaki Ogawa

The planar asymmetrical surfaces that make up the SEYUN Chair are unmistakably a hallmark of Hadid. Oak wood lays out the chair’s smooth curves, highlighting the natural wood grain and construction.

SEYUN Chair Photo: Masaki Ogawa

SEYUN Chair Photo: Masaki Ogawa

SEYUN Chair Photo: Masaki Ogawa

SEYUN Chair Photo: Masaki Ogawa

SEYUN Chair + SEYUN Armchair Photo: Masaki Ogawa

SEYUN Armchair Photo: Masaki Ogawa

Meanwhile, the SEYUN Armchair follows form, a balanced example of beauty and comfort coexisting with one another. From the sculptural armrests to the curved seat and backrest, every design aspect has been considered with ergonomics and aesthetics in mind.

SEYUN Armchair Photo: Masaki Ogawa

SEYUN Armchair Photo: Masaki Ogawa

SEYUN Armchair Photo: Masaki Ogawa

SEYUN Armchair Photo: Masaki Ogawa

SEYUN Armchair Photo: Masaki Ogawa

SEYUN Armchair Photo: Masaki Ogawa

SEYUN Collection Photo: Masaaki Inoue

The versatile SEYUN Table ties the collection together with a bow. Designed to allow endless configurations and available in different sizes, it makes a great addition to any living space. Visually striking and functional, you might call it unostentatiously elegant.

SEYUN Table Photo: Masaaki Inoue

Hiroshi Kato, Vice President of Karimoku Furniture Inc. commented: “Collaborating with Zaha Hadid Design, a world leader in architecture and design and a brand with a pioneering and innovative philosophy, is truly inspiring. We are particularly proud to translate Zaha Hadid’s visionary design language into a complex and tactile piece of wooden furniture, proving our knowledge and skills acquired throughout Karimoku Furniture’s history in craftsmanship.”

SEYUN Table Photo: Masaaki Inoue

SEYUM Table + SEYUN Chair Photo: Masaaki Inoue

To learn more about the SEYUN Collection, visit karimoku.com.

Kelly Beall is senior editor at Design Milk. The Pittsburgh-based graphic designer and writer has had a deep love of art and design for as long as she can remember, and enjoys sharing her finds with others. When undistracted by great art and design, she can be found making a mess in the kitchen, consuming as much information as possible, or on the couch with her three pets. Find her @designcrush on social.