Caterina Moretti’s AURUM cabinets, as seen in K’ab Juun. Photo by Alejandro Ramirez Orozco
One year ago, interior designer Ilana Goldberg and her business partner and closest friend Dafna Puszkar founded K’ab Juun, a gallery in New York City’s Meatpacking District, to celebrate and promote the design and craftsmanship of their native Mexico. The gallery, which is quickly becoming a favorite among celebrities, design aficionados, and international art collectors alike, has also become a kind of salon, with its owners coordinating celebrations of Mexican life and culture, music, the arts, literature, and history.
Cabrakan table and Jinete seats designed by Ollin.
(left) Cabinetry designed by Comite de Proyectos. (right) Cortoro lamp designed by Ana Amelia Batlle Cabral.
Goldberg, who started spending a lot of time in New York while her young son fulfilled his dream of becoming a ballet dancer, fell in love with the city and really wanted to do something to give back to the cultural scene. She discovered that there was no space dedicated to Mexican designers, where the full range of styles and craftsmanship could be appreciated as a whole. She brought Puszkar, who has extensive experience in import/export and administration, in to help with logistics, and together they got the business off the ground.
“Ilana is very into the creative side and has amazing taste, and I handle all of the logistical side,” Puszkar says, “and that makes us great partners on this journey.”
Onyx coffee table designed by Raùl de la Creda. Photo by Alejandro Ramirez Orozco
Touring the gallery is a design education, with extensive information about each artist and the work they do front and center. Goldberg shares that she loves all the artists and their collections and highlights several, including Material by Raúl de la Cerda, featuring a stunning onyx coffee table, among other dramatic pieces. The gallery shows lighting, accent and decorative pieces, and furniture crafted of stone, wood, and leather, all made by artists with a connection to both Mexico and New York.
“Mexico is so rich in craft and design, and more and more designers are emerging,” Goldberg asserts. “I felt that they deserved attention, and to be seen in a contemporary environment, these designers who make modern work that honors rooted traditions and techniques.”
Visit K’ab Juun to see their new fall collections at 38 Little West 12th Street.
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