Cabinets of curiosity and miniature tools based on Shaker furniture were among the works on view at New York design gallery Colony for its second Designer's Residency, showcasing four up-and-coming talents.
According to the gallery, the residency was first launched in 2022 to provide up-and-coming talents with a more accessible way to enter the industry. For the second cycle, emerging designers Alara Alkan, Maggie Pei, Steph Betesh, and Thomas Yang were selected from the pool of applicants.
Over the course of an eight-month cycle that began in September 2023, the designers were given subsidized studio space and followed a curriculum closely led by Colony founder Jean Lin and art director Madeleine Parsons.
New York gallery Colony exhibited work by four designers in its residency program. The above work is by Thomas Yang. The work at top of article is by Alara Alkan "We began with visual and written exercises created to help the designers tap into both their own voices as well as those of their budding studios," said Parsons.
In October, the designers moved into the product development phase which included frequent studio visits with Lin and Parsons.
The designers in the program were Alara Alkan, Maggie Pei, Steph Betesh and Thomas Yang
"Market knowledge provided footing for the residency, allowing us to offer not only aesthetic criticism but also feedback regarding a piece's viability in the luxury furniture industry," said Parsons.
"It was imperati...