[Op-Ed] Art & Design Combined Equals Success

The director and owner of Tranter-Sinni Gallery, Mona Tranter explains how art and design form the perfect couple through her gallery’s participation in the Art Fort Lauderdale fair.

The subject of what separates or unites art and design is quite convoluted and has been discussed and debated for some time. Some say art inspires and other say design motivates. What if this is the perfect combination for a winning strategy?  

I recently had the opportunity to be part of a new concept in art and design: an art fair that displays beautiful art pieces from all mediums in luxurious mansions. The fair is called Art Fort Lauderdale—launched in 2017—and the idea is that art and design are not competing but complementary thus making a brave and very savvy statement that art and design combined equals success.

The fair runs in such a way that galleries out of Miami, like mine, have a Luxury home on the water in which to display art. All of the homes and all of the art in the homes are for sale.  

The art fair consisted of five gallery-run homes and what we call Indy art homes. My gallery curated two of the homes with our team of professionals, selecting the artworks and furnishings—including brands such as Fendi, Monney interiors, Murat and Sandstrom and Kimmo Kaivanto, to name a few. In the indie homes the artists actually all came together to help the directors and homeowners curate an absolutely magnificent space.

Swiss artist Simone Monney was one of our featured artists. Monney has been represented by our gallery for the past year.  She is very well known for her “lyrical abstraction” style. Her method is inspired by the rhyme of music. In her paintings, nothing is planned in advance except the colors, which are chosen very carefully.  

Monney thinks outside the box and is creating new avenues for her work to be seen and appreciated in both the art and design world.  Hired by interior design firm Attitude Deco in Lausanne, Switzerland, and personal clients in Europe, Monney has watched and participated in a world where art and design mingle and couple side by side. In an interview for ArchiExpo e-Magazine, Simonne said:

“For me one of the the most basic principles of interior design is that every room needs a focal point, or a single design element that will instantly draw the eye into the space and give the viewer a sense of what to expect. It goes without saying that a great piece of wall art or sculpture could easily fulfill this position, as could a design piece.”

Art and design can be categorized as a luxury product, according to Monney. She explains that today’s luxury customers want to feel an emotion when buying a product, through storytelling or customization.

“Art and design go in this direction. Customizing an art piece is my greatest challenge. It takes a lot of sensitivity to feel the desire of a client and analyze his interior needs and taste.”