Hechizoo, a Spanish word that translates to “bewitch” is an apt description for the vibe at last week’s opening of the show Voyages /Explorations. Everyone seemed spellbound by the visual extravaganza on display at the Cristina Grajales Gallery. Colorful tableaus included vividly hued textiles, glittering metal leaves,  even a canoe, every inch of it clad with glass beads, hung from the ceiling.  Grajales, curator and connoisseur of all things unexpected, beautiful and meaningful, in the realm of twentieth century and contemporary design, has dazzled us again.

The exhibition features hand-made pieces by the artisans working at the Bogota, Colombia, based Hechizoo studio. The exhibition is about a journey – literal and symbolic – of the people who live amongst the flora and fauna of the Amazonian landscape; one that tells a story about the jungle that is a powerful part of life there.

I first saw copper weavings in Grajales’ back gallery, some years ago, and was struck by their beauty. I vowed to try and write about Hechizoo. I never did make it to Bogotá to see the artisans at work. I never forgot about them either. Thankfully, Grajales persevered, building her connection with Jorge Lizarazo, the studio’s founder, and kept her support of Hechizoo strong, so that architects and designers around the world now know of their work.

Lizarazo, a self-taught weaver, comes to textiles via architecture, having once worked in the offices of Santiago Calatrava and Massimiliano Fuksas.

Today sixty artisans work full-time at Hechizoo to produce custom made textiles for rugs, upholstery, window treatments and architectural meshes. What defines the work, and makes it so distinctive, is its innovative approach to the weaving of disparate materials: Mixing indigenous organic fibers such as “figue” (a woven rope- like material) with man made materials such as nylon, metal, leather, silk, horse hair, cotton, and copper. The resulting textiles and objects are light reflective and ethereal.

Lizarazo and his team make certain that the level of Hechizoo’s craftsmanship be extremely high-level. Esteemed architect Peter Marino has commissioned pieces for Fendi’s Manhattan flagship store. And one can see Hechizoo in Chanel and Dior.

The exhibition is on view until Jan. 31, 2014.

Cristina Grajales Gallery, 10 Greene st. 4th fl 212-219-9941

www.cristinagrajales.com

Last night I attended an event at the New York Design Center. It was a night to toast design legends, Mario Butta and Ellie Cullman, who were there participating in a book signing. The night was sponsored by another iconic player in the design industry:  1stdibs.com and as always, when these events take place on the 10th floor of  NYDC, it’s a chance to see literally thousands of gorgeous objects, vintage and otherwise, that are on display in 33,000-square feet of space. Here items are on sale from over 54 1stdibs® dealers from around the country, as well as a few international dealers

I love looking online as much as anyone, but as a design devotee there’s always an extra thrill seeing things close up; it’s an experience all its own. Of course it makes you want said items even more! I wandered the various showrooms and found some pesonal favorites that I’d like to own. Get ready — last night’s items are surprisingly diverse. From orange velvet chairs with fringe on the bottom, (which Mario Buatta also selected as one of his ‘finds’) to leather and wood campaign stools, to a charming and very cool French desk lamp, that is a simple and perfectly designed.  There are  always a lot of great items up there, so that’s the point of  making it up to the 10th floor, the range of items is vast.

My picks last night:

1. A pair of low back armchairs upholstered in orange velvet with fringe. $5200.Booth 47

2. A pair of mid century Grosfelt House 43 ” slipper chairs/settees Circa 1950s $8500, Booth 36

3. A pair of brass & crystal andirons, 1960-70. $3500. Booth 48

4. French modernist balancing swing arm sconce, 1950s. $3800. Booth 54

5. Fantastically colorful, with a bold graphic pattern, Limoges porcelain plates in a limited edition.

6. T.H. Robsjohn Gibbings leather slipper chairs, 1950s. $15,500. Booth 53

7. A Pietra Dura box with inlay spider, $525. Harris Kratz.

8. Cocotte Diablo desk lamp, 1950s. $1500. Booth 54

9. A pair of campaign stools by Cleo Baldon for Terra furniture, 1970s. $6200. Booth 45.

NYDC – 200 Lexington Ave, NY, NY.

Charles Gwathmey’s modernist architecture.

An interior shot of one of Charles Gwathmey’s modernist, now iconic Hampton’s houses.

A Norman Jaffe modernist house built with a sloping wall of glass and stone.

Carpet and rug making is a centuries old tradition where the artistic vision has been expressed by an individual maker, who was also the weaver. In the 20th century, modern artists such as Paul Klee and Pablo Picasso, discovered rug design. They, along with Pierre Cardin, Verner Panton and Ottavio Missoni, all began to extend their creative vision to this medium; designing carpets for interiors, which were equally modern. Now, Joseph La Piana, the New York based artist, is among them.

La Piana’s recently launched collection of rugs has been done in partnership with the venerable custom carpet and rug boutique, Patterson Flynn & Martin. The collection is in all 8 of the company’s showrooms across the country.

The result includes wondrous interpretations of his artwork, with a palette of natural hues that reminds us, especially at this time of year, of the colors in nature. That idea is always in La Piana’s eye, as a keen observer, he is entranced with form and shape, and what occurs with the interplay with light. His work is an abstract expression of these natural occurrences. Therefore, the rug imagery features abstract, biomorphic shapes, or at times a range of subtle to vivid striations of color. The rugs literally mirror La Piana’s canvases, drawings and photographic work. In this collection, he often deconstructed larger works, to adapt smaller sections of them. Then, once woven with wool and silk these new iterations of imagery become their own evocative story. The muted color palette is earthy, with warm grays, sepias, mulberry, and soft browns.

These rugs will look perfectly at home in a modern interior, an eclectic mix, or even contemporary designed room. The rugs are timeless, like nature, so they lend themselves to many kinds of interior design.

There are 24-patterned rugs in the collection, and any can be ordered in a hand tufted or hand knotted version. Most are combinations of wool and silk. See all at: www.pattersonflynnmartin.com, available to the trade.

Left image- Fresh Pond (in rich magenta) is all silk and hand-tufted.

Indigo Ink- wool and silk and hand knotted

Fluid Movement-wool and silk, hand knotted,

The renowned Brazilian furniture designer José Zanine Caldas, who died in 2001, worked as a furniture designer and self-taught architect for years. His expertise was in model making.  He was well known for making the models used for projects of Oscar Niemeyer and the other major modernists in Brazil. Caldas then pioneered the concept of sculpting furniture out of solid native Brazilian woods. His son, Zanini de Zanine, 35, today continues this legacy. In the new generation of furniture designers in Brazil, Zanini is considered among the most important. He has shown extensively in Europe and in LA, but now father and son are featured for the first time together in the USA, in a new exhibition at Espasso, the go to shop for all things Brazilian, in Tribeca. Featured are 18 pieces designed by  the son; one of which was designed exclusively  for Espasso. And, the special treat, are the five vintage works designed by his father.

Images at left: Upper image, current work by Zanini De Zanine. lower image: vintage work of José  Zanine Caldas, circa 1970, all at Espasso.

The exhibition is only on for two weeks, until October, 12, so get yourself on a downtown train and head to Espasso at 38 N. Moore st. 212-219-0017. www.espasso.com, for times and details.