A Milestone in Milan

A Milestone in Milan

INTRODUCING THE NEW JMM GALLERY IN MILAN, ITALY

Jacques Marie Mage proudly announces the opening of its first JMM Gallery in Europe, located on the historic Via Della Spiga in Milan, Italy…

“The opening of the JMM Gallery in Milan on the cusp of our 10th anniversary represents a very special milestone for our L.A.-based project, says founder and creative director Jérôme Mage, “an opportunity to introduce and explore different facets of the brand in an entirely new context.” 

Offering our signature selection of limited-edition eyewear, leather goods, jewelry, and finely curated artifacts and memorabilia, the Milan Gallery is “inspired by the captivating landscapes and spiritual gravity of Georgia O'Keeffe's Ghost Ranch,” explains Mage, “infusing classic elements of the Milanese palazzo with the colors, materials, and traditional crafts of the American Southwest to create a truly unique experience.” 

As with all JMM Galleries, a defining feature of the Milan location is its foundational furnishings, a suite of custom creations produced by Paris-based furniture design firm, Hervet Manufacturier, to bring a sense of tradition, prestige, and optimism to the décor. Handcrafted using rare woods, the furniture’s organic feel and unique shapes comfortably complement the gallery’s many museum-quality displays of authentic Indigenous art and craftworks, including a responsibly sourced collection of beaded leather moccasins and Navajo and Acoma pottery.

HANDCRAFTED FURNITURE BY HERVET

The organic materials and shapes embodied by the gallery’s furnishings are produced for JMM by Paris-based design firm Hervet Manufacturier, known for creating stunning handmade pieces in futurist forms. For the JMM Galleries, this includes iconic armchairs as well as cabinetry display cases handmade in Normandy with responsibly sourced Zebrano and Brazilian Rosewood “Nicolas [Hervet] is one of the few who can create modern furniture but with a romantic feel that takes you back to the 19th century,” said Mage in a recent Forbes interview, regarding the Paris-based furniture design firm. “We both craft things the way they were made 50 to 100 years ago, but we do it with a new, more modern, bold approach.”

NORTHERN PLAINS BEADED LEATHER MOCCASINS C. 1890-1920

The Milan Gallery includes a fine selection of six original leather moccasins, each either partially or fully beaded, and composed of soft-soled, brain-tanned hide with glass beads, as well as hand-beaded artwork on the vamp and edges.

Moccasins, soft leather shoes without a separate heel, were originally worn by most Indigenous groups in North America to protect their feet from harsh surfaces and cold or wet weather. Moccasins come in all shapes, colors, and sizes, and within each tribe, there are unique forms and styles. Plains tribes' (like Crow and Sioux) moccasins are known to have the top, or vamp, entirely covered in glass beads or porcupine quills, and made with hard soles that withstand rough terrain. Each tribe, or groups within a tribe, has their own set of symbols and patterns — established through beading technique, imagery, and color — that are aesthetically significant and often convey a deeper symbolic meaning.

POTTERY OF THE AMERICAN SOUTHWEST

The Milan Gallery includes an exquisite assortment of over 15 authentic expressions of Navajo or Acoma pottery, each known for their unique pottery style and method.

Pottery has always held a significant role in the lives of Southwestern Native Americans. It has been used for a variety of purposes, including cooking, storage, and ceremonial events. The creation of pottery is often seen as a spiritual practice, and a vital form of artistic expression for Indigenous communities.

There are several distinct pottery styles associated with various tribes, perhaps none more coveted than that of Acoma Pueblo, one of the oldest continuously inhabited communities in the United States. Known for their thin-walled, lightweight pottery, Acoma potters are famous for their intricate geometric patterns and fine linework. The pottery is primarily white, with black and orange designs created using the sharp tip of a yucca stalk.

Navajo artists have also developed a very distinctive pottery style, and are perhaps best known for horse hair pottery, which was borrowed from the Acoma Pueblo. By placing individual strands of horse hair from the mane or tail onto red-hot pieces, artists create dark veins that may either serve as the sole decoration or as a backdrop for another etched or painted design. The Navajo are also the only pottery makers to use pine pitches for finishes, giving these pieces a dark red or brown hue and glossy sheen resembling mahogany.

written by JMM

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