Launched last year by veteran Miami art dealer Dmitry Prut, Avant Gallery + Home offers art and design curation services for homeowners too busy or intimidated to do it on their own. The company sources collectible artworks and furnishings all over the world, negotiates their sale, and then installs them in a client’s home by Prut and his interior design team. One of the firm’s most recent projects involved a Star Island residence that combines pieces from the Italian Radical Design movement with bold contemporary artworks. Here, Prut reveals the commission’s highlights.
This home seems massive. What can you tell us about it?
It was built in 2015 and encompasses 18,000 square feet. It’s the permanent residence of an entrepreneur who’s not intimidated by opulence. Upon engaging Avant, he instantly warmed up to the idea of balancing surprise with unexpected fun.
What was his directive?
Something colorful. That was all the direction expressed. We were given a blank canvas to work with, and it was transformative.
What were your main goals for the project?
The most crucial aspect was to balance the mansion’s palatial grandeur with the striking art and design we selected to create an experience of awe. From the outside, the house boasts a grand, neoclassical-modern flair, but inside I wanted to create a dialogue between the architecture and the statement pieces, as well as mix genres and periods.
Why did you choose the Italian Radical Design movement for the furnishings?
Because many of the pieces are designed to resemble to head of a Grecian or Roman column, which are the types of architectural columns that support this mansion. These types of furnishings are often featured in museums like the Louvre. They bring whimsical twists to a space and they’re not the kind of pieces you typically associate with Miami interior design.
What are some of these pieces you’re referring to?
In the entertainment room alone, you have the grass-inspired Patrone chair and the iconic Bocca sofa from Gufram, and area rugs from a partnership between The Andy Warhol Foundation and Henzel Studio.
There’s a slight 1980s feel to the interiors. What inspired that?
There’s certainly a nod to the 1980s Miami vibe from Scarface, but with a much more playful and innocent twist.
What are some of the more significant artworks in the house? In the living room you have a couple of paintings by Marcos Anziani who’s a rising star in the world of abstract art. He masterfully fuses the energy of New York, where he lives, with the tropical colors of his Dominican roots. We ended up with five of his works in the house.
There are a couple of Frida Kahlo-themed artworks that are impossible to miss. What’s the story behind those? Those portraits were done by AI artist Paul Parsons from the UK. They’re quite stunning images that present the artist in a new light.
What was your favorite aspect of this project? I’ve always been enamored with the idea of juxtaposing modern and classical elements, like those periodic exhibitions at Versailles that feature contemporary artists’ works set against the classic decor of the palace. This property has its own palatial quality and that made it an exciting project to oversee.
What was the homeowner’s reaction when he saw the finished residence? He smiled like a kid in a candy shop. It’s amazing how a fun and exciting design aesthetic can turn back the clock to the joys of childhood.
Story Credits:
Text by Christopher Day
Photography by Mike Ruiz
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