May 9 – 13 | TEFAF New York 2025 | Friedman Benda Presents Two Rooms

For the 2025 edition of TEFAF New York, Friedman Benda is proud to present two rooms that highlight historical and new work by some of the most influential artists and designers the gallery has worked with over the years.

Highlights include Ettore Sottsass’ unique totem from 1966, which was last seen as part of ‘Ettore Sottsass and the Social Factory’ at the ICA Miami in 2019. Originally part of Sottsass’ personal collection, this work is now available to the public for the first time. From the same year and shown here to the American public for the second time in nearly six decades, Squid Chair with Table  (1966) is one of Wendell Castle’s masterpieces. John Chamberlain’s Ballantine  from 1957 represents an important period for the American sculptor. This was a moment at the cusp of a changing landscape in American sculpture, just after Chamberlain’s time at Black Mountain College, and before he started to experiment with crushed automobile parts. Also shown for the first time in New York is John Mason’s monumental sculpture from 1963, one of the very few works from this seminal period that can still become available to the public.

Within the contemporary context, a focal point in the booth is Voxel Round Table 5mm  (2023) by Joris Laarman; an outstanding example of the Dutch designer’s experimental approach. As the latest development within the acclaimed Digital Matter series that started in 2011, this table is made from tens of thousands of small, individual cubes. Faye Toogood’s Lode II  (2021) is a remarkable sculptural console carved from Purbeck, a rare limestone quarried since Roman times. Concurrent with his solo show at the New York gallery, Byung Hoon Choi debuts afterimage of beginning 024-619  (2024), inspired by the classical scholar ethos of the Joseon Dynasty. Also on view is Choi’s afterimage of beginning 024-610  (2024), marking the first public showing of his basalt works since Scholar’s Way, a permanent installation at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, in 2020.

The installation will also feature works by Andrea Branzi, Andile Dyalvane, Najla El Zein, Christopher Le Brun, Raphael Navot, Samuel Ross, and Frank Stella, each contributing to the rich dialogue between material, form, and innovation that defines the gallery’s program.

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Park Avenue Armory
643 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10065

Invitation Only | May 8
Public | May 9 – 12 | 11am – 7pm
Public | May 13 | 11am – 6pm

About Friedman Benda
Friedman Benda identifies and advances key narratives that intersect contemporary design, craft, architecture, fine art, and cutting-edge technological research. The gallery promotes synthesis between leading creative thinkers and makers by creating opportunities to advance new connections within the global design community. Friedman Benda is committed to a critical view of design history. We aim to expand the design dialogue from its established sources, exploring perspectives that have previously been marginalized. Spanning five continents and four generations, Friedman Benda represents a roster of seminal established and emerging designers, as well as historically significant estates. With locations in New York and Los Angeles, the gallery’s exhibitions, publications and collaborations with institutions have played a vital role in the development of the contemporary design market and scholarship since 2007. For further information please visit www.friedmanbenda.com and the gallery’s Instagram @friedman_benda and YouTube channel.