Nomad Circle: The return to Capri

The majestic Certosa di San Giacomo, a monastery and architectural gem on Capri is playng host to Nomad Circle for a second time.

Now in its 12th edition, the design fair that marries collectible design with the contemporary is known to take place in some of the world’s most alluring and historical settings.

“We have always considered Capri a perfect NOMAD destination. It is probably the most suggestive
island in the Mediterranean gathering the most incredible crowds since centuries,” co-founder Nicolas
Bellavance-Lecompte says. “Certosa di San Giacomo is the largest and oldest building on the island.

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Over the last months, we have worked consistently to make sure this edition is truly unique and shaped by the participation of renowned international art and design galleries, special projects that are the fruit of unique collaborations conceived ad hoc for the fair, and a VIP programme filled with curiosities.”

The first edition of the fair took place in Monaco in 2017 inside Karl Lagerfeld’s Villa La Vigie, and has
since been held in St Moritz, Venice, a virtual edition in Cannes, and now Capri. NOMAD was conceived by Bellavance-Lecompte and Giorgio Pace as a travelling contemporary art and collectible design showcase.

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Consequently, they came up with a name that fused both creative disciplines together, while luring a
restricted international crowd, tailored to experts and lovers of art and design.

“We can proudly say that, for our second edition in Capri, we have fulfilled a quest to go far beyond the confines of the anonymous white cubicles of conventional fairs and create an ever-evolving dialogue in which design, art, architecture, and nature all play a pivotal role,” Bellavance-Lecompte adds.

“NOMAD aims at exploring unconventional destinations, not always in the usual big cities,” eminent art collector and personality Hans Ulrich Obrist wrote in the fair’s first edition catalogue. It aspired to create an ulterior offering to the conventional art fair – one that moved guests away from viewing art and design within the typical gallery cubicle or fair booth, to beautiful, inspiring settings with their own history, style, and energy.

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Also special to the fair is its multicultural focus. On view are works by designers and artists from around the world. Bellavance-Lecompte, who co-founded Carwan Gallery, a contemporary design space that was based in Beirut, has long had a particular interest in the Middle East. His mission was to promote international design in the Arab world.

While the gallery relocated to Athens, his objective and vision continue, and they are particularly apparent in this edition that sees lots of participation from regional designers. These include Chahan Minassian, the Paris-based Lebanese architect, Le LAB, the design gallery from Cairo presenting a group show of Middle Eastern artists and designers, and DESIGNEAST, a textile design group show
curated by Rue Kothari and supported by Alserkal Avenue. India Mahdavi’s new lighting collection, the fruit of a collaboration between Luce5 and Carwan Gallery, and a special focus on Tarek Shamma, an Egyptian architect based in Cairo, are other highlights.

"The Capriccio Egiziano collection is a tribute to the imaginary tale of Cleopatra's shipwreck en route
to Italy,” Shamma explains. “This collection is an embodiment of my passion for storytelling through
design. Drawing inspiration from ancient history and the opulence of the Pharaonic eras, each piece carries a sense of grandeur, mystery, and timeless allure. From the lotus detailing on the sofa to the exquisite inlays on the coffee tables, every element captures the essence of Egyptian splendour, intertwined with a touch of Mediterranean charm.”

With Capriccio Egiziano, Shamma invites visitors to embark on a journey of timeless elegance while
indulging in Mediterranean culture, style, heritage, and ultimately, as he puts it, “the captivating legacy of Cleopatra's lost treasures.”

Shamma will present a solo show via the EVERYTHING I WANT platform, displaying a new series of limited-edition designs (all handmade in Egypt) for the first time. He has also been chosen by Gucci for the Artists in Flux project and will be part of a “NOMADIC journey” during the fair.

The project focuses on the ideas of dialogue and exchange through art and design, and how travel, experimentation, and art creation can generate not only new ideas but also new trajectories.

Artists in Flux first was launched in St Moritz in February 2023 with a group exhibition of three
internationally acclaimed artists, while the second chapter took place during Milan Design Week in
April, with a private event staged in the Luigi Caccia Dominioni house. The multilayered curatorial
project draws inspiration from the dynamic New York creative scene, which many believe could be experienced more in Milan this year.

Indeed, its presentation of international designers and artists from interdisciplinary backgrounds further unites the worlds of art, design, and fashion. The third chapter will be unveiled at NOMAD Capri, with artists Misha Kahn and Cedric Mizero joining Shamma. Once again, the idea of Artists in Flux, like that of NOMAD, is to present creatives that span a variety of cultural influences, practices, and thought processes staged aesthetically through a variety of mediums, materials, and disciplines. The result is ultimately to offer new ideas and ways to connect, and create beauty that arises through inventive means.