A Salone re-cap, Amaro from Austin, and one of our favorite podcasts
April always manages to leave us inspired, and also excited about all that's ahead, and this year was no exception. As we head into a special month for all things design—most notably with NYCxDesign—we're happy to share 8 things that caught our attention.
- Every year on the first weekend in May, the Municipal Art Society of New York celebrates the legacy of urbanist Jane Jacobs. Volunteers lead over 200 walks in all five boroughs to take a deeper look at neighborhoods (there are guided, self-guided, and virtual options). On our list: The Domino Sugar History Walk in Brooklyn, and Ghosts of the Polo Ground Shuttle in the Bronx. See the entire schedule here.
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NYCxDESIGN is back for its 10th year, and the list of events—from smaller group exhibitions to big trade shows, from May 18-25—is set to keep us on the move! You can find Ottra on the line-up with our Open Studio Tour (all the details here). Our local picks include visits to Casa Kids (side note: they have the cleanest factory and the coolest bunkbeds we’ve ever seen), and Makerspace NYC Open Studios down at the Brooklyn Army Terminal. And while not officially part of NYCxDESIGN, we’re also happy to share news of this show by our neighbors at the Liberty Labs Foundation, opening on May 12.
- Mother’s Day is coming up, and we’re looking forward to celebrating with Mothers Creatix Collective (MCC) at its group show here in Red Hook. MCC is a group of artist mothers supporting each other’s artistic practices, and this group show, called Time/Space, will explore time and space from the viewpoint of mothers and caregivers. Among the participants: our friend Stephanie Eche, who we’ve long admired for her sculptural woven pieces, and now her paintings inspired by mothering her 13-month-old daughter. The show will be at Compère Collective, just down the street from us, and runs from May 7 through May 28. Find all the details here.
- A few weeks ago, Sofia traveled to Austin for a celebration of ByCloudia’s spring show, featuring several Ottra pieces. A few of our Austin friends joined in on the fun, including Revolution Spirits, a local craft distillery that mixed cocktails for all. Co-founder Aaron Day offered up the first Texas-produced Amaro, straight up or in a refreshing mix with fresh grapefruit juice and club soda. Tempted? It can be purchased online here, and follow them on Instagram for plenty more cocktail ideas.
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Frieze returns to New York on May 17, taking place at the Shed, in Manhattan's Hudson Yards. Among the highlights: Sprüth Magers and Karma International’s joint presentation of Pamela Rosenkranz’s work, including sculptures, videos, installations and paintings. Rosenkranz's work reflects her ideology behind what it means to be human, through studying the codes in which people give meaning to the natural world.
- We have a whole new Instagram folder with bookmarks from Salone in Milan! We loved seeing the coverage from media outlets and design colleagues alike (among them: @surfacemag @designmilk @_sightunseen_ @dadagoldberg @samanthagoredesigns and @kevinleciejewski). There was also a fun surprise for us: we saw this post from @ingridabram with the Louis Vuitton Pavilion and thought ‘that looks like something THEVERYMANY would do’…and then realizing it WAS indeed by the Brooklyn-based, world-renowned studio. Marc Fornes and his partner/collaborator Claudia Corcilius are longtime friends of ours, and yet we had no idea this was in the works. We are SO proud of them, and you can have a look at the project here.
- We’ve noticed an uptake of people walking through the neighborhood every second Sunday and we came to realize it was because of Pioneer Works Second Sundays. This cultural center, located just a few blocks from us, offers the chance to explore artists in residence studios, along with live music. Also intriguing: the center's Supper Club series, which celebrates local chefs as culinary artists. See the full lineup here.
- Professional AND personal development is certainly our jam here, and one podcast that addresses both is Cultures Within Capitalism from our colleague Holly Howard (same for her robust and enlightening newsletter…subscribe here!). Holly has taught many creative entrepreneurs—in Brooklyn, and far beyond—how to position their businesses for growth, build robust internal culture, and really celebrate the soul of a business. The latest episode is with Molly Fitzpatrick, founder of Dittohouse, a Cleveland, Ohio-based home textile brand. Have a listen and be inspired.
Image above photographed by Marc Asekhame, House of Meme Installation by Pamela Rosenkranz.