Now in its seventh year, FOG Design+Art, San Francisco’s premier contemporary design fair, has clearly hit its stride with a mix of notable galleries and standout works. Featuring 48 exhibitors from around the world, this year’s participants included six new galleries, including Gallery FUMI (London), Mercado Moderno (Rio de Janeiro), Lehmann Maupin (New York), and Tina Kim Gallery (New York). Returning galleries and dealers include Hostler Burrows and R & Company out of New York, Sarah Myerscough Gallery of London, Kurimanzutto of Mexico City, along with Gagosian, Haines Gallery, and Lebreton from San Francisco.
Held at Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture, the annual event, which is open to the public through January 19, benefits SFMOMA’s exhibitions and education programs. Programming, organized by FOG steering committee member Susan Swig, includes curated discussions, conversations, and panels with an array of designers, curators, artists, and forward-thinkers with a focus on art, culture and technology. Check out AD PRO’s top dealer picks from this year’s FOG Design+Art below.
David Gill Gallery
Since opening its doors in 1987, this London contemporary design and art gallery shows the works of leading international artists, architects, and designers. This year’s booth was completely devoted to artist Michele Oka Doner. The massive painted bronze Table “Radient,” 1995, sat center stage ($195,000). Perched nearby on a ledge were a stunning selection of sterling silver “Palm” vases in varying heights ($20,500 to $27,000).
Nicholas Kilner
Specializing in 20th-century Italian and American design, particularly works from the 1930s to 1970s, this Brooklyn gallerist often treks to remote pockets of Italy to cull rare treasures from obscure estates. Front and center rested a magnificent 1962–63 wicker and bamboo daybed by Luigi Massoni and Luciano Buttura ($40,000). Already spoken for was a massive 1968 mod seating system from Superstudio, consisting of a white shell covered with dark brown beaver. Later models of the seating system were made with a statement-making leopard print.
R + Company
Now in its 20th year, this New York dealer represents a distinguished group of historic and contemporary designers. Evan Snyderman has an eye for the unique, including the work of L.A.-based artist Rogan Gregory. Overhead hung one of the artist’s completely sculpted plaster, sand, and seashell Illuminated Sculpture hanging lamps ($28,000). Across the booth were two whimsical and realistic bird-perched mirrors by Sebastian Errazuriz ($18,000 each).
Jessica Silverman Gallery
Known for curating compelling exhibitions, this San Francisco gallery also has an international reputation for building artist’s careers. On display was filmmaker and artist Isaac Julien’s The Lady of the Lake (Lessons of the Hour), 2019 ($40,000). The aluminum-mounted image pays homage to Anna Murray-Douglass, the abolitionist wife of statesman Frederick Douglass.
Kasmin Gallery
Founded in SoHo in 1989, this gallery has a keen eye for modernist and postwar artists. What appeared to be a patinated and rather charming cabbage with chicken legs sitting high on a pedestal was, in fact, Choupatte—a 2014 bronze sculpture by Claude Lalanne, from an edition of eight, and in a manageable size somewhere between grand and petit. Price upon request.
Mercado Moderno
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This first-time exhibitor from Rio de Janeiro was founded in 2001 by Marcelo Vasconcellos and Alberto Vicente. Dedicated to Brazilian design from the 1950s to 1980s, Mercado Moderno also specializes in emerging and contemporary design-art. Offered at FOG were a fine pair of 1950s Sergio Rodrigues rosewood and metal lamps ($9,000 for the pair). Across the booth’s back wall was The Blue Hour, a large-scale photograph printed on silk by Tom Fecht ($18,000).
Berggruen Gallery
A longstanding advocate for the region’s foremost artists, this leading West Coast gallery is known for engaging audiences with incredible exhibitions of contemporary art. Two standout works on display included Sean Scully’s Barcelona Red Mirror, 2004, made of oil on linen, and Richard Serra’s Tracks #2, 2007, crafted from paintstick on handmade paper.
Galerie Chantal Crousel
Established in Paris in 1980, this gallery continues to make its mark showcasing works of contemporary artists from around the world. One of the booth favorites was artist Rirkrit Tiravanija’s Untitled 2018 (el odioso olor de la verdad) ($110,000), which translated reads, “the hateful smell of truth”—an allusion to Henry Kissinger–era politics and media.
Luxembourg & Dayan
With a unique program focused on exhibiting works of significant but underappreciated postwar European artists, this New York gallery is powering into its 11th year. Luxembourg & Dayan presented one of the fair standouts, Femme Assise, 1966, by Enrico Baj (160,000 euros). The mixed-media piece with acrylic, padding, Passementerie, and found objects within the artist’s own frame is an ode to the work of Pablo Picasso.
Gallery Fumi
This London contemporary design gallery features conceptual and aesthetically audacious designers and art. Works are predominantly hand-made in small workshops that value craftsmanship and materiality. A row of one-of-a-kind planters by Max Lamb along the back wall ($8,500 each) were particularly stunning. Made of polystyrene, carved by hand, and sprayed with a rubberizing paint, similar examples can be seen in the collection of SFMOMA.
