DUBAI: Dubai-based collectible design gallery The A/P Room became the first UAE-founded gallery of its kind to exhibit at Design Miami Paris in October, bringing together Brazilian modernism, contemporary American sculpture and Lebanese design. The presentation was held before founder Christelle Bassila heads to the NOMAD Abu Dhabi collectable design fair in November.
“The Middle East is not only a place where international ideas are received; it is a place where new ideas, practices and voices are being shaped,” Bassila told Arab News. “There is a rich cultural landscape here, and I believe its designers and galleries deserve a stronger presence on the international stage.”
The presentation in Paris paired mid-century Brazilian works by Joaquim Tenreiro, Abraham Palatnik and Branco e Preto with objects by Lebanese architect and ceramicist Zein Daouk and Originform, a new body of sculptural work by Los Angeles-based artist Rogan Gregory.
Gregory’s pieces explore the relationship between organic forms, sculpture and illumination, using materials including natural fibers, bronze and ceramic. His chandelier served as the centerpiece of the Paris presentation, transforming light into an atmospheric, sculptural experience.
“I chose it because it expressed something central to The A/P Room’s curatorial approach. It had a strong identity of its own, but it also opened a conversation with the warmth, clarity and material sensibility of the Brazilian works around it,” the founder said.
Rather than imposing a uniform aesthetic in its Dubai showroom, the gallery’s approach centers on creating connections between distinct works while preserving their individual identities.
“I look for a sense of connection, but not uniformity. A presentation should feel coherent as a whole, while allowing every piece to retain its own character and story,” Bassila explained.
“I don’t think design needs to stop being useful in order to become art. The most compelling works hold both qualities at once: They can be lived with, but they also continue to unfold in the imagination,” she added.
Looking ahead, The A/P Room hopes to encourage a deeper collecting culture in the region, bringing greater visibility to local talent alongside established international names.
“The region has sophisticated collectors and a growing creative community. There is room to connect those strengths more closely, and to give regional designers greater visibility alongside established international voices.”
