A Conversation with Michael Bargo

Interior designer Michael Bargo reinterprets the history of decorative arts for contemporary sensibilities. An expert in mid-century French design, his interiors celebrate art, antiques and curiosities of European, African, Asian, American and South American provenance. As a new member of our Design + Art Advisory Council for the 14th edition of Salon Art + Design, Michael joined us for a round of rapid-fire questions on lessons learned the hard way, dream collaborations, what’s next on his creative horizon, and more.

Art + Design Favorites 

If you could add one museum piece to your personal collection, what would it be?

The Trilogy by Ryan Gander.

Which design era or movement most inspires you right now?

Always French mid-century.

Who is an emerging artist or designer you think everyone should know?

Louis Eisner.

What’s a piece in your collection that always sparks conversation?

Down by Nancy Dwyer.

If you could collaborate with any artist or designer, living or dead, who would it be?

Alexander Calder.

What’s your favorite space you’ve ever visited for its design or art alone?

The Bourse de Commerce in Paris.

Advice

What’s a lesson you learned the hard way in collecting or curating?

There are more reproductions (fakes) out there thank you think.

What’s the best question to ask a dealer or gallerist when considering a piece?

Provenance?

What’s one myth about art or design collecting you’d like to debunk?

That you have to be wealthy.

How do you decide when a piece is “worth it”?

If you love it.

Plugs

What’s a project from the past year that pushed you creatively?

A historical residential project in Los Angeles.

What’s next on your own creative or collecting horizon?

Investing more in young, contemporary artists and designers.

Where can people see your work next?

Good question.