Wit’s afloat
“THERE is a great wit and sense of humor in Dutch design,” says John Geresi, co-curator of “NLA,” an exhibition of contemporary furnishings from the Netherlands opening Saturday night. Those sentiments certainly sum up Wieki Somers’ Bathboat, a vessel created by a shipbuilder and outfitted with plumbing fixtures, above, and a carbon fiber seat called the Sexy Relaxy chair, below. Part of the show’s appeal, Geresi says, is the “use of recycled materials and an acceptance of imperfection, a lesson we all could learn from.” “NLA,” which is short for Netherlands to Los Angeles, runs through May 27 at Acme gallery, 6150 Wilshire Blvd., Spaces 1 and 2, Los Angeles; (323) 857-5942. Designers will appear at a panel discussion at 11 a.m. Sunday at Brown Auditorium of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Admission is free, but reservations are required: (323) 932-5821.
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AT AUCTION
Modern? You bet
A good chunk of the catalog for the Sollo Rago Modern auction this weekend includes designs produced within the last 10 years. As prices on prized pieces from the 1940s to 1970s skyrocket, auction houses are trying to boost interest in contemporary furnishings. In the first of three sessions, which begins at 9 a.m. Saturday, Sollo Rago will offer contemporary pieces by Michael Graves, Philippe Starck and Christian Liagre. The late 20th century work includes Lot 251: Edward Zucca’s 1998 white pine Harvest bench, below, with hand-carved maple robots for legs. The 1,500-plus items for sale also include a cache of California ceramics. To register: www.ragoarts.com.
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FINDS
They’re rugged
Felt, that crafty material lending a warm and fuzzy feeling to living room pillows, has moved onto the patio. The Dimensions rug collection by Liora Manne consists of hand-felted indoor-outdoor pieces made from dyed acrylic fiber. The material is precision-cut into modernist scallops, scrolls and doilies that are fade- and water-resistant. The Kuba pattern, below, costs $105 for a 2-by-3-foot oval, $158 for a 3-foot round and $335 for a 3 1/2 -by-5 foot rectangle. Show in Los Feliz, (323) 644-1960.