Selavy by Di Donna presents Rock / Paper / Scissors: In Collaboration with Steven Learner

Sélavy by Di Donna is pleased to present Rock/Paper/Scissors, an original salon at Di Donna Galleries in New York, curated in collaboration with Steven Learner, architect and founder of Collective Design fair. The presentation will be on view from November 10, 2023 through January 19, 2024 and includes selected examples of fine art and design objects that evoke the whimsical nature of Rock, Paper, Scissors.

Inspired by the popular hand game, this curated salon is unified by a narrative surrounding the primary mediums of stone, paper, and metal. The assembled objects emphasize their respective materiality and celebrate the playful, often intricate artistic techniques employed in their creation - including paper collage, carved stone, and manipulated metal fabrications.  The show includes works from artists such as: Ian Collings, Byung Hoon Choi, Saloua Raouda Choucair, Alma Allen, Jean (Hans) Arp, Sebastian Brajkovic, Andrea Branzi, Alexander Calder, Irene Cattaneo, Tara Donovan, Jean Dubuffet, Carol Egan, Lucio Fontana, Frank Gehry, Rogan Gregory, Keith Haring, Hechizoo, David Hockney, Yayoi Kusama, Alicja Kwade, Sol LeWitt, Henry Moore, Isamu Noguchi, Nuvolo, Claes Oldenburg, Rick Owens, Man Ray, George Rickey, Ed Ruscha, Robert Stadler, Faye Toogood, William Turnbull, Victor Vasarely, Line Vautrin, Andy Warhol and Chen Chen & Kai Williams.

For his first curatorial collaboration with Sélavy by Di Donna, Learner has designed an evocative domestic setting within Di Donna's gallery space that leans into the sense of play engendered by Rock, Paper, Scissors. The objects are arranged in imaginative vignettes that accentuate dynamic conversations.

Throughout the gallery, Learner explores how artists embrace or challenge the physical nature of their chosen materials to either enhance or subvert appearance and perception.

Alicja Kwade's constellation of natural stones engages with Man Ray's sculptural painted aluminum lampshade whose form originates from a single, twisted sheet of paper; both objects generate expressive atmospheric effects that obliquely speak to George Rickey's angular kinetic sculpture. Korean artist Choi Byung Hoon's stone furnishings bring the organic texture of nature into the domestic space, while Faye Toogood's cast aluminum armchair masquerades as folded sheets - rendering paper permanent. Lucio Fontana's iconic tagli straddle the line between painting and sculpture while Jean Arp's organic forms resemble the transient state between liquid and solid. Isamu Noguchi's sculptural objects, Alexander Calder's characteristically playful cut metal and wire sculptures and Tara Donovan's endless paper plate sculpture all exemplify the inherent dualities found in the exhibition.

Rock/Paper/Scissors brings together works that challenge convention while simultaneously creating a visually dynamic and immersive experience. Through juxtapositions of strength and delicacy, permanence and ephemerality, plasticity and rigidity, the salon fosters complex material dialogues and demonstrates how these artists engage in acts of play that mirror this simple and timeless game.

Steven Learner: 
Architect and creative consultant Steven Learner brings his years of experience in bridging the traditional boundaries between art, architecture, and interiors. Through his eponymous consultancy, Learner works with creatives and brands across Europe and North America to expand worldwide market share, while also collaborating with makers and studios to elevate their practice, connect with collectors, curators, design firms and international press outlets. 

In 2013, Learner founded Collective Design fair, the first event of its kind in New York dedicated to collectible design. The project developed and hosted presentations from international galleries and cultural institutions, with immersive site-specific installations created by industry leaders such as Gaetano Pesce, Nendo, Ingo Mauer; institutions including The Noguchi Museum and Design Academy Eindhoven, as well as established brands like Marc Jacobs, Calvin Klein, Cadillac, and Pomellato. 

Prior to launching Collective Design, Learner's award-winning architecture and design studio developed spaces and interiors for a diverse roster of clients, including the Guggenheim Museum, Christie's Private Sales, and Sean Kelly Gallery, among many others.

Sélavy by Di Donna:
Established in 2020 by Christina and Emmanuel Di Donna, the founders of Di Donna Galleries on Madison Avenue, Sélavy by Di Donna presents curated vignettes that combine fine art and design and span a diverse range of mediums, time periods, and cultures. 

Sélavy by Di Donna functions as a rotating salon and embraces an eclectic mix of objects and artworks, revealing how unexpected juxtapositions are the foundation of inspiring interiors while Di Donna's New York gallery space is celebrated for its museum-quality exhibitions of Surrealist and modern art.