David Graver

New York

Editor-in-Chief at SURFACE

Editor in Chief: @surfacemag (art, film, travel, style). Contributor: @coolhunting @voguemagazine @luxury. Fiction writer, cultural advocate.

Articles

Josh Greene’s Waldorf Astoria Model Residence Translates Art Deco Grandeur – SURFACE

1 week ago | surfacemag.com | David Graver

DESIGN This week, Art Deco celebrated its 100th anniversary. Following its debut in Paris during the 1925 International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts, the opulent architectural style swept from France into the U.S., as well as New Zealand, India, Argentina, and beyond. Art Deco’s signature attributes—symmetric geometries, intricate lines, ornate patterns, and beguiling curves—formed what became acknowledged as the first international design style.
A Picture of Tropical Decadence, Gitano Opens at the South Street Seaport – SURFACE

1 week ago | surfacemag.com | David Graver

DESIGN Following 2018’s concrete jungle in Soho and 2022’s lavish Governors Island escape, the much hyped hospitality brand settles into a permanent New York City home at Pier 17 Encompassing nearly 14,000 square feet, with 30-foot-high ceilings and a wall of hydraulic windows that opens to the water, Gitano NYC will greet guests for the first time today.
A Brutalist Sanctuary Along Jamaica’s Northeast Coast – SURFACE

2 weeks ago | surfacemag.com | David Graver

TRAVEL Cruising along a winding jungle path, beneath canopies of Blue Mahoe and bamboo groves, where the scent of jasmine and hibiscus hangs in the humid air, one hardly expects to encounter a brutalist monolith with an infinity pool, world-class recording studio, yoga pavilion, horse farm, and design details sourced from around the world.
The World’s Most Celebrated Polo Player Breaks into the Design World – SURFACE

2 weeks ago | surfacemag.com | David Graver

DESIGN In the lush La Barra coastal region of Punta Del Este, Uruguay, the Fasano Las Piedras development is growing with the addition of farmhouse estates, country residences, and villas near the Brazilian hospitality brand’s five-star hotel, beach club, and championship golf course. The development’s architecture and interior design are helmed by Uruguayan architect Carolina Proto of Estudio Obra Prima.
Blue Green Works Lights Up Bridges—and Beyond – SURFACE

3 weeks ago | surfacemag.com | David Graver

DESIGN Tracing the path between the Manhattan-based studio’s custom pieces for the chic Chinatown restaurant to new collections with compelling forms and materials Step into Chinatown’s Billy Cotton-designed French and Basque-inflected restaurant Bridges, helmed by chef Sam Lawrence, and pared-back interiors envelop you. The light emitted from custom pendant lamps in the bar area and sconces within the booths offers a sensorial palate cleanser before any dish is served.
Beautifully Bulbous Light Fixtures from Three Design Studios – SURFACE

3 weeks ago | surfacemag.com | David Graver

DESIGN Mimicking the spherical nature of many bulbs, lighting designers with debuts during Milan Design Week took bulbous concepts and transformed them from simple to imperfectly extraordinary.
Indie Group Sets the Mood for a New French Riviera – SURFACE

3 weeks ago | surfacemag.com | David Graver

DESIGN The hospitality company’s founder and art director on making their winter debut, the upcoming James Perse partnership, and soundtracking your vacation. In just three years, Indie Group has emerged as a cultural force in the Côte d’Azur. The trio behind the collective—childhood friends Vincent Luftman, Raphaël Blanc, and Tobias Chaix—approach hospitality as world-building, divining an atmosphere through music, materials, and menu.
Watch Brands are Finding Their True Blue – SURFACE

3 weeks ago | surfacemag.com | David Graver

DESIGN Luxury wristwatch makers are on the quest for the perfect color—and color combinations As a centerpiece to their Watches & Wonders booth, bathed in cool light from a James Turrell-like installation, Chanel presented several models of their J12 wristwatch in a new matte blue color that took more than five years to develop. Over the last 25 years, the polished ceramic J12 models in black, and later white, have become some of the most recognizable watches in the industry.
Disparate Materials Converse in Charlie Nesi’s “Homage” Series – SURFACE

3 weeks ago | surfacemag.com | David Graver

ART The New York-born, Mexico City-based fine artist on transforming common materials into something precious In his ten years as a resident of Mexico City, Charlie Nesi has traversed an ever-developing and international art scene.
The New York Academy of Art’s 2025 Tribeca Ball Honored One of Its Own – SURFACE

3 weeks ago | surfacemag.com | David Graver

CULTURE CLUB David Kratz, the longtime president of the New York Academy of Art (NYAA), was the honoree at this year’s Tribeca Ball, an annual extravaganza that opens up the acclaimed institution’s doors for a multi-floor cocktail party, gala dinner, and VIP access to all the artist studios within.