International Design Fair Lands in Savannah

Unique Design X Savannah

Savannah, Georgia will host nomadic boutique fair Unique Design X Group, which makes its first stop in the U.S. following launches in Shanghai and Paris.

For Morgan Morris, founder and CEO of Unique Design X Group, Savannah was an unequivocal choice for the next stop in the exclusive boutique design fair’s nomadic journey. Following fairs in Shanghai in 2019 and Paris in 2020, Unique Design X Group brings a selection of works from 18 artists to the Hostess City in 2021.

Exhibit from Unique Design X Group’s 2020 show in Paris, France.

As one of the largest National History Landmark Districts in the United States and “America’s First Planned City,” Savannah is known for romantic streets and Spanish moss. The artistic ethos is omnipresent throughout the city – the vibrant creative community fostered by SCAD, Telfair museum and events like the Savannah Film Festival and Savannah music festival recalled Morris (a Savannah native) to her hometown.

“After being based in Europe since the early 1990s and working on founding international art and design fairs primarily between Europe and Asia,  it was essential for me to bring Unique Design X Group’s inaugural U.S. event to be held in my hometown of Savannah,” says Morgan Morris, founder and CEO of Unique Design X Group. “Apart from the historical and cultural significance of the Savannah port city, the Southeast today is a dynamic region where creative energies abound. To be able to bring this international talent and remarkable diversity to interact with the city of Savannah is very inspirational.”

Unique Design X Savannah will display a selection of work by 18 artists, architects and designers from around the world who create “collectible design,” collectible-worthy objects which reimagine the idea of furnishing contemporary spaces with functional art. Each designer has created a fully immersive portal, created as a cooperative effort between the artist, the gallery and Unique Design X Group, offering a fresh vision of new living ideas and aesthetics.

Trustees’ Garden will be the venue for Unique Design X Group for the 2021 boutique design fair, to be held April 28-May 2.

The show will present a curated selection of unique and limited edition design pieces. Unique Design X Savannah will be held at Trustees’ Garden, a venue originally chartered by King Charles in 1732 as the first experimental garden in the New World, transformed today into one of the southeast’s most extraordinary event spaces in the heart of Savannah’s historic district.

The theme of Unique Design X Savannah – One World, Our World, Many Dreams – reflects Morris’s commitment to a collective spirit, sustainable approach and innovative view of interior design. As an international creative company, Unique Design X Group believes in a pluralistic vision of design that is inclusive of all backgrounds, lifestyles and opportunities for creativity.

By Garance Vallée.

“We invite the viewer to be transported into a unique collectible design experience,“ said Morris. “Diversity of thought and experience are what fuel the beauty and power of creativity. We enthusiastically support creating a global community, where creativity travels beyond borders and all stories are embraced as one’s own.”

Unique Design X Savannah will co-produce and broadcast a live streaming forum in collaboration with The Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) on April 29th and 30th, allowing participants to connect and discuss collectible design and the key role it plays in making our interior environments creative and unique. Unique Design X Savannah will also host a special online viewing room in collaboration with Artsy, the event’s leading online sales partner.

Event Details:

Admission is $10 for the general public; free for students and seniors.

Date: April 28-May 2, 2021

Venue: Trustees’ Garden • 10 E Broad Street, Savannah, GA, 31401

Opening Hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

For more details, visit uniquedesignxgroup.com or follow along on Instagram @unique_design_x_group.

Participating galleries:

Nilufar Gallery (Milan, Italy); Etage Projects (Copenhagen, Denmark); Functional Art Gallery (Berlin, Germany) in collaboration with Friedman Benda Gallery (New York, USA); GAD (New York, USA) and Art Deco Gallery (Shanghai, China).

Participating designers:

Audrey Large (France); Anna Aagaard Jensen (Denmark); Garance Vallée (France); Anais Borie (France); Thomas Ballouhey (France/China); Chan Chiao Chun (Taiwan); Andreas Angelidakis (Greece); OrtaMiklos (Denmark, Greece, Argentina and France); Theophile Blandet (France); Li Naihan (China); Hongjie Yang (China); Franck Pellegrino (France); Alberto Vitelio (Chile); Ana Buitrago (Colombia); Jomo Tariku (Ethiopia/USA); Yinka Ilori (UK, Nigeria); Jean Servais Somian (Ivory Coast) and Karl Monies (Denmark).

Sponsors:

Trustees Garden –  A special thanks to Trustees Garden for an incredible venue.

SCAD – A special thanks to SCAD for their support on forum programming.

Connect Savannah – A special thanks to their publisher the “super connector” Erica Baskin.

Danish Cultural Institute and the Danish Embassy to the US – A special thanks for supporting our live streaming event.

Casa Dragones – A special thanks to Casa Dragones for their award winning tequila touch.

Ghost Coast Distillery – A special thanks to the Ghost Coast Distillery for their southern hospitality and signature drinks.

The Skateline (USA) & Ramped Construction – A special thanks to our partners Skateline and Ramped Construction  for their support for the production of Yinka Ilori’s Skate-Able Object Park.

Anna Sansom – A special thanks to her “selected by Anna” support on our live streaming forum and selection of keynote speakers and designers.

Artsy – A special thanks to our partner Artsy, the best online sales platform for Art & Design. What would our world be without digital art and design sales during lockdown.