Opera Gallery shares its top tips for art-loving interiors
As Opera Gallery returns to PAD London for another year, we speak to its director, Federica Beretta, to discover some top tips for finding the best art for interior decoration.
This year one of the leading dealers of contemporary art, Opera Gallery, is celebrating its 25th anniversary. It has also decided to return to PAD London 2019, offering visitors to the event the chance to discover the finest French and Spanish domestic art, hoping to inspire everyone from museum expert and interior specialists to design practitioners and the public.
Running until 6th October, PAD is the only event of its kind, and is the best place for collectors and art lovers alike to discover and purchase pieces of museum-quality artwork for their own homes. As part of its involvement at PAD London, Opera Gallery has created a booth that presents an impressive selection of luxury works showcasing the way that art and design can transform an interior.
The showcase includes pieces from some of the most prominent 20th century masters, ranging from Pablo Picasso and Marc Chagall to Belgium’s most celebrated contemporary artist, Fred Eerdekens. Curated by Opera Gallery’s director, Federica Beretta, the collection celebrates art and the way it can complement an interior, or turn a simple space into something extraordinary; with this in mind, we spoke to Beretta to discover her top tips for art-loving interiors.
Palette on Palette (Bedroom)
Living.it (left) Lita Cabellut, Mangala, 2018. Mixed media on canvas, 160x120 cm (right)
If your style is classic and neat, a romantic and elegant bedroom is what you should aspire to create. The contemporary and sophisticated design of this bedroom is underlined by the Gubi lights and armchair, while the powder pink rough linen bedspread mixed with violet and dark grey velvet cushions make for an inviting and soft sensation. Here it is important not to break this delicate feeling, and we propose this astonishing painting by the Spanish artist Lita Cabellut. The artist uses a particular technique, which is described as a reinterpretation of the Renaissance fresco. The colours of the artwork amplify the creamy and earthy palette of the room.
Palette on Palette (Living Room)
Living.it
The same tip can be used for your living room, with a touch of exotic. The aim for this stylish living room is to find an artwork that draws attention and gathers the same colours of the décor. We propose this stunning ARMAN table, both an artwork and a design furniture.
ARMAN, Table Pinceaux, Sculpture Bronze, 34x153x100 cm
Recall the Same Materials
The casual chic of this summer house located in the Croatian ancient city of Dubrovnik uses contemporary design, all made in Italy. It has been restored by the studio of Franic Šekoranja (living.it), focusing on lights and neutral colours, wood and handmade fabrics carpets. The black chairs are an exclamation point, giving to the room a break with the soft patterns. Manolo Valdes’ sculpture Cabeza con nube would add a special emphasis to this wonderful living room, recalling the warmth of the wood and the texture of the carpets.
Old and Gold
Living room of a summer house in Croatia (above) with Manolo Valdes, Cabeza con Nude, 2018. Wood with Steel Wire, 73,5x117x33 cm (right); Manolo Valdes, Crio Dorada, 2018. Bronze with gold patina, 114x255x90 cm (below)
Let’s imagine that we are not in this exquisite Parisian showroom, but that this is an elegant living room of the Parisian crème de la crème. In a Liberty Style palace like this, where traditional and timeless lines together with classic white walls are the core features, it might be a good idea to add some sparkle. Nothing could be better than this amazing sculpture by Manolo Valdes. Clio Dorada is a perfect fit here for both its golden colour and its biting forms.
In a Room Full of Colours and Forms, Bring In the Same Palette
Living from the Upper East Side, NYC. Right: Manolo Valdes, Triple butterfly, 2017. Sculpture Bronze with gold patina, 56x65x32 cm.
We are in a luxurious apartment on the Upper East Side, one of New York City’s most known neighbourhoods. Here, the designers played with both materials and lines, as the light pink marble table “Ellisse”, designed by Gabriella Crespi demonstrates. The Manolo Valdes’s sculpture “Triple butterfly” would be a perfect fit in this living room, perfect to receive guests from the art world to design. It recalls the golden colour of the furniture and gives a final touch of glamour to this marvellous apartment. (living.corriere.it).
Create Contrast
Ottocento Palazzo in the centre of Naples. Right: Fernando Botero, Seated Woman, 2012. Oil on canvas, 127x120 cm.
In this beautiful Ottocento Palazzo in the heart of Naples, Posillipo, the ancient, the retro and the new merge together, creating an atmosphere made by soft contrasts. The pavement is in Neapolitan terracotta with a damier pattern, while the sofa and the light are famous design pieces from the 1970s. While the styles are different, the colours follow the same patterns. Here we think that a good colour contrast would brighten the room and make it more fun. What would it be best than this amazing painting from Botero? With the pink wall and the red dress of his representatives voluminous figured, it is definitely the perfect fit.
Use Art to Redecorate
If you already have a well decorated home, why not choosing two great artworks to give a new look? As Trip Haemisch suggests, precious objects hold their value. Here we propose two very different sculptures: the first one, by the Lebanese artist Anachar Basbous, has an extravagant and fascinating form, while the use of the white marble gives to this sculpture a more classical and eternal look. The other sculpture is from the well acclaimed Spanish artist Manolo Valdes, and it represents his famous Cabeza con mariposas (“Heads with butterflies”), always romantic and pleasant, while the blue patina gives a unique touch.
We're also particularly obsessed with...
Fred Eerdekens’ elegant sculptural shadow art which are contemporary manipulations of form, language and light. Using shadow and light as ink and paper, his metal work is composed of single word or short sentence, of which the meaning projects in the space surrounding the object. Eerdeken sculpts the abstract undulating, angular forms that, once in the light, reveal a word or a sentence.
What els???????e to look for at PAD:
- Phoenix Ancient Art to fuse old and new with rare objects from the Mediterranean region and western and central Asia
- Carpenter’s Workshop Gallery’s array of contemporary design
- Mesmerising glassware brought to London all the way from Italy at Achille Salvagni
Recreating a boutique setting with a twist, Opera Gallery will be exhibiting its best French and Spanish domestic art at PAD London 2019 at Berkeley Square - home to its collosal butterfly sculpture by Manolo Valdes. In Autum 2019 (from 25 October - 16 November) Opera Gallery will also open a brand new exhibition by the acclaimed spanish pop artist.
Image credits:
Living room of a summer house in Croatia. Picture taken from the Instagram Account of “Living - Corriere della Sera”.
Birkenstock showroom in Paris. Picture taken from the Instagram Account of “Living - Corriere della Sera”.
Living from the Upper East Side, NYC. Picture taken from the Instagram Account of “Living - Corriere della Sera”.
Ottocento Palazzo in the centre of Naples. Picture taken from the Instagram Account of “Living - Corriere della Sera”.
