A Collaboration Rooted in Artistry

At Miami Art Week, we partnered with Tom Dixon for a sculptural installation celebrating materiality, elemental forms and the power of the unexpected. The limited-time exhibition was hosted by Steelcase in Miami’s Wynwood neighborhood.

Inspired by the sharp, linear angles of crumpled metallic foil, Tom Dixon designed a textile pattern that was smoothly upholstered over the organic, elemental forms of the Jean Nouvel Seating Collection by Coalesse. The fabric — skillfully produced by Designtex at their digital studio in Portland, Maine — juxtaposed angular graphics against rounded silhouettes, inviting guests to experience a striking confluence of art and design.

“Collaboration and connection are what this Miami Art Week exhibition was all about,” said Meghan Dean, General Manager, Design Brands and Partners at Steelcase. “A powerful collaboration brings out the expertise of each contributor, creating something only possible when they come together. Coalesse is a master of this — creating enduring contemporary furnishings for all the places we connect — and we were honored to have Tom Dixon’s artistic vision bring a bold, unexpected dimension to these pieces.”

To mark the occasion, Dixon shared insights into his approach to art, design and creative partnership during a “Behind the Brand” conversation moderated by Dan Howarth, design editor and contributor to publications like Dezeen, Architectural Digest and Conde Nast. The talk welcomed an audience of architects, designers, art lovers and friends of the brands involved.

“The objective of the custom fabric is camouflage,” designer Tom Dixon explained during the Miami Art Week talk. “I knew that Jean Nouvel loves aluminium — aluminum to you guys — and I knew that his design for Coalesse is very difficult to upholster due to its rounded forms. So I set about trying to find a pattern that would work with the complex upholstery needed, and by crumpling up a sheet of aluminium, you’re getting a randomized pattern that allows you to camouflage all of the seams.”

Explore the Jean Nouvel Seating Collection >
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