Design Miami Paris: SCAD Celebrates Alumni Creativity
izabella Rajh
From October 20 to 25, the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) takes over the Hôtel de Maisons for Design Miami Paris. The American university presents six alumni through newly commissioned and previously unseen works. Taken together, these creations explore the relationship between historical architecture, contemporary innovation, and artisanal craftsmanship.
Bridge of Heritage and Contemporary Design
An official university partner of Design Miami in Miami Beach for seven years, SCAD continues its collaboration with the fair’s inaugural edition in Paris. In fact, as the forum debuts, the exhibition also highlights the diversity of practices developed by its graduates. These practices span industrial design, illustration, painting, textiles, and furniture design. This way, the Bridge of Heritage and Contemporary Design stands out as an integral part of Miami Paris Design week as well.
Throughout the Hôtel de Maisons, the artworks transform the historic interiors. Abel Macias, for example, adorns the original eighteenth-century staircase with a vibrant carpet inspired by landscapes of the American Southwest. Meanwhile, Gretchen Wagner suspends pleated paper cylinders decorated with embroidered beads. These paper cylinders are rendered in delicate pastel shades. Consequently, this contributes to the innovation showcased at the institution and echoes the spirit of the forum.
Evan Baker presents a sculptural sideboard that combines intricate wood grain with recycled Murano glass. In contrast, Anne Weber Callahan showcases two ceramic stools. These stools explore organic forms and the relationship between furniture and the human body. This is consistent with the creative spirit that the Paris edition of Miami Design, called Design Miami Paris, aims to celebrate in its exhibitions.
Elsewhere, Katie Hagen experiments with the translucent qualities of naturally dyed silk organza. Similarly, Marcelo Suro brings together hand-blown glass and volcanic rock in a series of six sculptural lamps. Through these distinct approaches, the artists reveal the expressive possibilities of materials. This is a theme that resonates with visitors of the forum.
Design Miami Paris Highlights Six SCAD Alumni
Notably, Hagen and Suro developed their works through SCAD Alumni Atelier, the university’s artist residency program in Lacoste, Provence. This initiative supports alumni practices while encouraging experimentation and creative exchange. These actions are relevant to the vibrant artistic community at the Parisian forum.
PHOTO: Chia Chong
Beyond presenting established graduates on an international platform, the forum also offers current SCAD Lacoste students an opportunity to discover the fair. They can also build professional connections. For SCAD, this participation reinforces the university’s commitment to connecting education, artistic exploration, and the global design community. This is achieved through significant events such as Design Miami Paris.
Featured photo: Design Miami Paris.
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Izabella Rajh is a Slovenian journalist with a bachelor’s degree in Comparative Literature and Philosophy. She has previously worked for literary publications, independent cultural platforms, and journalistic outlets, including N1 Slovenia. She currently works for Delo, one of Slovenia’s leading national newspapers, where she covers a wide range of topics, from international politics to culture. In her work, she seeks to connect diverse fields and explore complex issues from a holistic perspective, with a particular emphasis on their cultural dimensions.
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