April 9, 2007

Fantasy Island

Though The Surreal Life might have viewers believing otherwise, fantasy—not reality—is the cornerstone of surrealism: Think Salvador Dalí, not Brigitte Nielson. And fantasy is clearly hot, as evidenced by zeitgeist heavies like Pan’s Labyrinth, childish patent leather Mary Janes and baby doll frocks á la Alice In Wonderland and now designer Bodo Sperlein’s new Lladró Re-Cyclos Magical home collection. At Tart on Melrose this Thursday evening, Sperlein and guests toasted the west coast launch of the line, which separates itself from Lladró’s relatively conservative reputation. Surrealist undertones—a nod to the company’s Spanish heritage—are clear in highlights like the Chandelier Niagara, which dangles a cluster of uniquely engraved fairies that evoke swarming butterflies. Other standouts include black ram and horse head bottle stoppers and the Canvas Vase Flowers Tapestry, from which a delicate flowerbed appears to sprout. Sperlein’s creations are also featured alongside Viktor & Rolf’s top hat printed pieces in "Surreal Things," a show that opened last week at London’s Victoria & Albert Museum. This is no time to get real. $95-$90,000, TableArt Inc./Tart, 7977 Melrose Ave., (323) 653-8278