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Design Miami has now become a not-to-be-missed event for the Italian creative duo Draga & Aurel, founded by Draga Obradovic and Aurel K. Basedow. Running for its third year, in partnership with Todd Merrill Studio, they will be presenting the results of another year of experimentation with materials, in search of original light and colour influences, to the design event’s eclectic audience.
Their new proposal, consisting of a family of lamp designs, a dining table and a sideboard, complements and expands the Flare collection which premiered last year, also in Miami. Once again, their material of choice is Lucite, an acrylic resin that the Italian designers mould, assemble, gloss, and sculpt by hand, with the support of a team of Italian craft masters from Lake Como.
Draga & Aurel create furniture design in which the line between art and design becomes increasingly thin—functional objects that do not just enrich space with their aesthetic but also explore the complex relationship between light, colour and form, encouraging the observer to interact from various perspectives, just as they would when faced with a work of art.
The Ribbon lamps, the Flare table, and the Flare sideboard are produced exclusively for Todd Merrill Studio, a contemporary art and design gallery located in New York City (80 Lafayette Street).
Ribbon pendant lamp
The Ribbon lamp is a curvy ribbon of acrylic resin draping over an LED-lit capsule. The geometric precision of the semicircular arch is mitigated by the skilful crafting of the material, where the graceful curve captures and reflects light, creating a very dynamic visual effect. The colour appears to flow in the purity of the transparency. The opaline inserts are seamless, emphasising the lighting design's ethereal essence, while the sharp neon colours appear suspended in space, dictating the rhythm of the composition. Arising from the interaction between light and material is an immersive experience amplified by the overlapping of the two parallel surfaces, which transform perceptions depending on the angle of view.
Flare dining table
The Flare dining table, made entirely from Lucite, recaptures the distinctive characteristics of the coffee table series of the same name, expanding its scale and visual impact. Sculptural and totemic, this object defies visual gravity with its irregular, essential geometry, subtle shading, and piercing colours that appear to float in the transparent material.
The table top captures light, producing a beguiling play on light and colour. Inspired by the three-dimensional exploration of colour by the artist Jiyong Lee and by the acrylic sculptures of Vasa Mihich, the table design is based on a skilful use of refraction, achieved by combining sheets of coloured Lucite of various shapes and thicknesses. With this unique object, Draga & Aurel wish to highlight the intrinsic characteristics of acrylic resin, its potential in the crafting process, and its ability to regulate, capture and refract light.
Flare sideboard
The Flare sideboard brings to light the exceptional artisanal and compositional mastery of Draga & Aurel—the rounded frame made of reflective metal acts as a counterpoint to the transparent doors, resulting from the joining of acrylic resin sheets in different shapes and thicknesses. These form a hypnotic colour spectrum, producing a harmonious and cohesive artwork. Light moves through the reflective surface, crafted with various transparency gradients and rhythmic neon accents. Supported by metal and completely transparent and colourless Lucite legs, the product design appears to be extremely lightweight and almost suspended in space. Flare is a vibrant dance of primordial hues and geometry that enhances the patterns and colours 'trapped' inside the resin, changing one's perception of the surrounding space through its boldness.
What do you think?