Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) recently made a striking impression at this year’s Design Miami with the presentation of a highly tactile installation that celebrated material exploration, craftsmanship and alumni creativity. The immersive installation featured thousands of plaster-cast elements meticulously arranged to form a richly layered, haptic surface that invited close engagement. Know more about the installation on SURFACES REPORTER (SR).
Conceived by New York-based designer Sarah Fonzi, a graduate of SCAD’s sculpture programme, the installation transformed the booth’s walls into sculptural landscapes. Fonzi incorporated an eclectic mix of familiar forms, including toy ships, umbrellas and beetles, all casting each in plaster to create a cohesive yet visually complex composition. The repetition of everyday objects, rendered in a uniform material palette, gave these walls a sense of rhythm and depth while encouraging viewers to experience the installation through touch and sight.
The exhibition also featured textile-based works by Adrian Pepe, a graduate of SCAD’s design for sustainability programme.
Anchoring the booth was a furniture piece by Christian Dunbar, a SCAD furniture design graduate and designer based in New York. Dunbar presented a solid-wood desk distinguished by its fluid, sweeping curves and refined detailing. The piece demonstrated a careful balance between sculptural form and functional design, emphasising the natural qualities of wood and the precision of traditional craftsmanship.
The exhibition also featured textile-based works by Adrian Pepe, a graduate of SCAD’s design for sustainability programme. Pepe showcased two embroidered wool tapestries inspired by the cultural narratives and mythological traditions of his hometown Beirut. Through intricate stitching and symbolic imagery, the tapestries conveyed a strong sense of place, memory and storytelling. Adding an element of lightness and movement, Washington DC-based designer Carl Johnson, a SCAD fibres graduate, presented three suspended lighting sculptures. Constructed from metal wire interwoven with cotton, the lights explored transparency, structure and softness, thereby casting delicate shadows that enhanced the spatial experience of the booth.
Image credit: SCAD