SHOPPING GUIDE
The Art of Giving
So neolithic pottery isn’t your thing. Skip the exhibits and head directly to the best part of the museum: the gift shop. Not visiting an art hot spot? Simply shop online.
Lumen Oil Lamp
Candles and oil burners are usually relegated to the regifting closet. But no one would ever pass up one-of-a-kind art from New York’s MoMA. The Lumen Oil Lamp by American artist Adam Frank appears simple at first, the acid-etched, stainless burner is modern yet traditional enough to fit into almost any decor. But light the liquid wax and a delicate image is projected onto the wall, shifting as the flame flutters. Choose from bird-and-nest to festive-tree designs, then sit back and enjoy a decidedly sophisticated shadow-puppet show.
Bill Amberg Leather Briefcase
What do you buy the Wall Streeter who has everything (besides a BlackBerry-free vacation, which, alas, can’t be charged to credit)? A black leather luxury tote is safe and stylish, but anyone with an expense account can pick one up on Fifth Avenue. For a stand-out-from-the-crowd version, look across the pond. British leather-goods designer Bill Amberg designed a sleek collection of business gear exclusively for London’s Tate Modern. The briefcase is futuristic on one side with a tuck-in flap, retro on the other with rivets and an embossed 1920s pattern pulled from the gallery’s archives – further proof that good looks never go out of style. Purchase one online.
The Art of the Motorcycle Dish Set
Here's some china you'll never see on a wedding registry, which makes it the perfect kind of gift: unexpected. The tire-track print was designed by Estra Wurzer to commemorate the Bilbao Guggenheim’s Art of the Motorcycle exhibition. But these dishes are also a prime example of a table-top trend that's been affectionately dubbed "man china." That's right, there is a whole movement toward porcelain that's more punk than pretty. The message is clear: these dishes are tough stuff – just like the handsome host who serves dinner on them... or hostess. Not every woman loves flowers, at least of the printed variety.
Geometric Mobiles Set
The Museum Shop at The Art Institute of Chicago is full of Frank Lloyd Wright reproductions, and rightfully so. After all, the architect/designer was a genius who shaped the city. So why not bring home a Wright-inspired piece? A trio of geometric mobiles wouldn’t look out of place in Oak Park, but they would also make a bold statement in any loft. (Those high ceilings didn’t come cheap: put them to good use.) The made-in-Germany set features the three most basic shapes: circle, square and triangle. Simply push out the stainless-steel layers to create unique, captivating three-dimensional looks. Hey, you’re an artist!
(Domini Clark is deputy editor of The Globe and Mail Style section and a regular contributor to StyleCounsel, the Globe’s free daily style e-newsletter.)
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TOP PHOTO: MOMA DESIGN STORE, WWW.MOMASTORE.ORG
DISH SET: GUGGENHEIM MUSEUM BILBAO
MOBILES: WWW.ARTINSTITUTESHOP.ORG
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