NEW YORK, NY.- In a departure from the traditional white cube exhibition format, Twenty First Gallery debuts an intimate townhouse space in West Chelsea. The 1,000 square foot exhibition space presents furniture and design objects within the context of an elegant, private residence. The location also features an inviting garden terrace.

The inaugural exhibition of Twenty First Gallery’s townhouse – on view May 13 through June 10, 2016 – presents a selection of furniture, lighting, and design objects by French designer Emmanuel Babled. Exhibited in the U.S. for the first time, the pieces exemplify the designer's innovations with classic materials, including Murano glass and Carrara marble, using state-of-the-art technology and refined production processes that challenge traditional design methods and yield meaningful and unexpected results.

Twenty First Gallery Founder and Director Renaud Vuaillat says, “We are delighted to introduce Emmanuel Babled to a New York audience and honored to feature his body of work as the premiere exhibition in our exquisite new townhouse. Showcasing an artist within the context of an authentic interior is fresh way to engage with contemporary design.”

Founded by Vuaillat in 2008, Twenty First Gallery has remained the sole contemporary limited edition furniture gallery of its kind – representing primarily European artists including Emmanuel Babled, Mattia Bonetti, Martine Bedin, Julian Mayor, Bernar Venet, and Rob Wynne, among others. Upholding a focus on unique and small production artworks that also function as practical possessions, the gallery also exhibits furniture, lighting, and decorative arts in a vast range of materials by master craftsmen whose skill is made evident through the details in each design.

Vuaillat has established his career and reputation over the course of the past twenty years. Originally specializing in 18th century decorative arts his foray into antiques and design began at Marché Serpette, the venerable Parisian flea market renowned for its exceptional and rare antiques and modern objects; he later opened a gallery devoted to antiques in Saint-Germain.

Inspired by Hubert le Gall's Guéridon-Lampe Pic Poisson pedestal table during a visit to the first Salon des Arts et Métiers at the Musée national des Arts d'Afrique et Océanie in 2000, Vuaillat’s attention began to shift from the classical to the contemporary: in 2000 he quietly established his own line that redesigned historically fashionable pieces with contemporary materials in modern-day sizes and by 2004 he moved his gallery to a Left Bank location to showcase works from living designers. It was that space that caught the eye of New York’s design elite and Vuaillat began selling and consulting in both Manhattan and Paris. He moved to the City in 2006 and opened the first iteration of Twenty First Gallery in 2008.

This focus from the past to present day reflects not only Vuaillat’s evolving taste and discerning eye for design and detail, but also a changing design landscape. Today the selection of artists and their work available at Twenty First Gallery is notable for its acute sense of craftsmanship, beauty, and functionality.