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Fashion’s Eye on Monstrous Beauty: At The Met with Betsy Nathan & Sarah Hand
There’s still time to catch Monstrous Beauty: A Feminist Revision of Chinoiserie at The Met on view through August 17th. I was lucky enough to see it with my dear friend from Hamilton College, Sarah Hand. She has extraordinary taste and has been a fashion insider for over 30 years. While I was visiting New […]
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Windy City: Michael Thompson’s Kites Soar in Chicago Homes by Laurel Feldman & Lauren Coburn
We cherish our global community of designers and artists, but we’re not immune to hometown pride. When two notable Chicago interior designers both gravitate toward one of our favorite Chicago artists – and select his work for their clients’ outstanding homes in Chicago — it showcases the local design alchemy that we’ve cherished since PAGODA […]
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Patrick Burns: Concrete Gardens
April 15 – May 31, 2025 Concrete Gardens translates Patrick Burns’ deep love for the land into richly textured, mixed-media monochrome paintings. Raised on a farm in rural West Virginia, Burns developed both a rugged resilience and a deep-rooted connection to nature. His journey took him from the fields to the football field – balancing […]
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As You Wish: The Ruyi Symbol and Magical Mushrooms in Chinese & Japanese Decorative Arts
In modern pop culture, “as you wish” is the catchphrase of secretive pirates and all-powerful genies. Say it aloud at a party, and film fans will immediately think of Wesley’s devotion to Buttercup in The Princess Bride. It’s a phrase from fiction, one that builds on our fascination with objects and people that could magically […]
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Portrait of a Lady: Women in Chinese Art
PAGODA RED is full of evocative hints of past lives — a delicate silk shoe, a bespoke home for a much-loved songbird, an elaborate jewelry box from a bygone era. Beyond the evocative, we’re also a showcase of evolving craftsmanship and tastes over time. Our expansive collection lets design history unfold, over centuries of fine […]
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Toyoharu Kii: Master of Modern Mosaics
A leader in the global craft resurgence, Japan-based artist Toyoharu Kii works with hand-cut Italian marble and smalti, Venetian glass handmade by the same Italian family for over 400 years. Constructed using traditional techniques, his art is nonetheless modern. Kii’s work is abstract and highly textured — highlighting the intricate process in the often-overlooked art of mosaic making. […]
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Bruno Surdo: Tree Spirits
After viewing Tree Spirits, Bruno Surdo’s debut at PAGODA RED, you will never look at a tree the same way again. Surdo brilliantly conveys the deeply personal sentiments to be found in the twists and turns of burls and branches. He says creating the paintings was a meditative experience and, until now, they have never […]
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Luxe Life: The Custom Homes of Chinese Songbirds
“Songbirds brush the eaves in flight and fish dart through the waterweed, men of elegance and taste, apprehending their nature, do not weary of watching them all day long.” – Wen Zhenheng, translated by Tony Blishen The practice of keeping a small songbird as a pet is a longstanding tradition in China dating back to […]
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The Thrill of the Hunt: Shea Soucie’s Meaningful Collections
In his book The Joys of Collecting, world-renowned collector J.Paul Getty writes that a collector “frequently experiences thrills and sometimes savors triumphs.” These moments—from the thrill of finding an object worth collecting to the triumph of acquiring the piece you’ve been searching for — inspire designer Shea Soucie both in her own collecting and in […]
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Gordon Chandler: Inside Out
Gordon Chandler’s art starts with simple materials that might otherwise go unnoticed. In his hands, scrap metal and industrial steel drums become beautiful. He often works outside, gathering materials from salvage yards—his artworks feel at home in the open air, where the elements make the patina deeper and richer. Chandler’s art brings new energy to the […]