NYCxDESIGN Exhibition: SHINE
Original light objects by 70 designers exploring craft, technology, personal expression and function
We’re excited to partner with NYC X Design for SHINE, an installation surveying the exciting state of lighting today. Sponsored by Sponsored by Kikkerland Design, it’s curated and designed by Harry Allen, and hosted by The Seaport, 19 Fulton St, New York, NY 10038. Lighting is the fastest evolving segment in design, with new technologies and manufacturing techniques permitting designers to create and experiment like never before. From 14-20 May 2026 visitors can view the luminous works of 70 different designers / studios, including conceptual works, prototypes and lights now in / entering production, for free. The survey is a must for anyone interested in lighting today.
Harry designed SHINE to be a “reflection of the city,” embracing a “schizophrenic” quality mirroring both the current state of the design world at large with New York City as its epicenter (this week, at least). What started as a NYC-only concept grew to include designers who used to live here, or perhaps visited recently and international designers like Lee Broom, who spends time in the city but is based in London. A key goal of his curation was to create a democratic environment where younger, emerging designers could showcase their work alongside more established names. He noted that many participants loved the challenge of creating new pieces specifically for the show, while others brought previously realized works, resulting in an array of perspectives.
The exhibition features a diversity of styles, from mathematical perfection to “messy” experimental works. One of the most talked-about pieces is The Incubator by Sabrina Merayo Nuñez, which Allen described as pushing the conversation about lighting and sculpture; he placed it in direct dialogue with the massive Erosia lamp by Karim Rashid. Other notable entries include a beautiful bedroom lamp by CW&T and Leaky Lamp II, an eco-friendly material study by Pablo Ejarque-González/Studio Ejarque that features material “dripping down” the fixture. Allen emphasized the necessity of seeing these works in person, arguing that the “actual experience of things is so different than what’s on paper” and that providing a three-dimensional experience is vital in our image-saturated world.
To organize the space, Allen utilized long runways to establish a specific relational aspect among the works. He intended for the layout to look like people walking down the street in New York City, featuring clusters of lamps alongside single fixtures of varying heights. This arrangement allows different design languages to coexist as they might on a public sidewalk.
What are your thoughts?