Elite Traveler January-February 2018

DISCOVER

elite traveler JAN/FEB 2018 39

Hidden among the trees, Pad returns to London’s Berkeley Square to showcase the finest in art and design

Design The internationally acclaimed art fair returned to London’s Mayfair for the 11th edition late last year. Set in Berkley Square, the show welcomed the chic, the bright, the weird and the wonderful… Best of Pad Christopher Duffy, Abyss coffee table Evoking the deep blue sea, the Abyss coffee table plays with depth perception and creates a

TAKE THREE/// MUSEUM OPENINGS

Steffen Dam, Cabinet of Curiosities The curious works of Steffen Dam are not what they seem — the creatures encapsulated in the glass jars are fictitious, imagined by Dam and created through his glassblowing and tool- making skills. steffendam.dk Valentin Loellmann, Copper corner bench One of Valentin Loellmann’s main objectives is to get as close as possible to authenticity, and this copper corner bench was wrapped around a huge oak tree to accurately demonstrate this point. The bench, in charred oak and copper, won best contemporary design and was certainly drawing a crowd. valentinloellmann.de

3-D geological cross section. Crafted from sculptured glass, resin and wood, the table is limited to 25 pieces. duffylondon.com Hans Kotter, Point of View, Magic 8 Ball The German artist’s light sculptures are a commentary on how light and color interact with the environment. This hanging sculpture, a cuboctahedron (a polyhedron made up of eight triangular faces and six square faces), is an intricate maze of light and shadow. Kotter creates one-off pieces, this one sold at Pad for $52,000. hans-kotter.com

1. LOUVRE, ABU DHABI The highly anticipated collaboration between France and Abu Dhabi was originally slated for completion in 2012, but was pushed back several times over the years. Finally opened in November 2017, the museum, designed by award-winning architecture firm Ateliers Jean Nouvel, is a ‘floating dome of light and shade.’ When the sun passes above, the light filters through the complicated structure, creating a unique effect dubbed the ‘rain of light.’ louvreabudhabi.ae

Steffen Dam, Cabinet of Curiosities

Christopher Duffy, Abyss coffee table

2. THE ZEITZMOCAA, CAPE TOWN The Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa is the largest art museum to be built on the continent in over a century. Opened during Heritage Weekend 2017, the museum is a partnership between the V&AWaterfront and Jochen Zeitz (German philanthropist and former CEO of Puma) and is the first major museum in Africa dedicated entirely to contemporary art. The Zeitz Mocaa is housed inside the transformed heritage-listed Grain Silo building, repurposed through a design by Heatherwick Studio. zeitzmocaa.museum

3. YVES SAINT LAURENT, MARRAKECH & PARIS Explore the life and work of Yves Saint Laurent at the two new openings dedicated to the fashion designer . The Paris museum is located at 5, avenue Marceau, in the historic site of Laurent’s former couture house, where for almost 30 years his haute- couture collections were born. The Marrakech museum has been built especially to house Laurent’s work, and is on Rue Yves Saint Laurent, adjacent to the renowned Jardin Majorelle. Laurent first visited Morocco’s Red City in 1966 and fell in love with the vibrant colors, which strongly influenced his work. musseeyslparis.com

Hans Kotter, Point of View, Magic 8 Ball

Valentin Loellmann, Copper corner bench

Words Samantha Coles. Photos Francis Amiand, Iwan Baan, Nicolas Mathéus