The Fenix Palace

Gabriel Tan creative directed Ariake's second Stockholm exhibition in collaboration with My Residence magazine, transforming a former entertainment palace designed by architect Hjalmar Westerlund in 1912 into a celebration of contemporary Japanese handcraft against a historic Swedish backdrop. The exhibition showcased Ariake's new collection featuring pieces by Norm Architects, Keiji Ashizawa, Staffan Holm, and Anderssen&Voll.

The building originally housed restaurants, a dance hall, a theatre, and a bowling alley before being acquired by the City church in 1940, with its premises rarely opened to the public. Curated by Hanna Nova Beatrice of My Residence and styled by Annaleena Leino, the exhibition included collaborations with Turn handles, Origin Made, Wästberg, Nedre Foss, and Faina collection, creating an immersive dialogue between handpicked artisans and producers within the palace's original 1912 Swedish interior.

The exhibition was divided into two contrasting spaces, one neutral and one dramatically dark, allowing visitors to experience how Gabriel's vision transformed the ornate wooden panelling and plasterwork into a compelling and visually arresting backdrop for minimalist Japanese design furniture.

The Fenix Palace, Stockholm | 4-10 Feburary 2019