PROVIDENCE, R.I.  — Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) is pleased to participate in the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) + WANTED at the Jacob K. Javits Center during NYCxDESIGN 2026 from May 17–19 in New York, NY. This year in WANTED at ICFF (booth W981), RISD’s Furniture Design department will present Intrinsic Values, a selection of works from BFA and MFA students that examine the role of furniture in contemporary life and the values that shape its creation.

Intrinsic Values – Wanted Booth W981
Working across diverse materials and processes, these works balance traditional craftsmanship with experimental approaches, engaging dialogues between hand and machine, structure and expression, and function and narrative. Together, they position furniture as utility, as art, and as a medium for questioning domestic conventions, environmental responsibility, and the emotional resonance of material form.

A selection of images from Intrinsic Values by photographer Erik Gould can be found here.

Other RISD participation during NYCxDESIGN 2026

In addition, RISD Furniture Design faculty member Amy Devers MFA 01 FD, executive producer and host of Clever Podcast, will moderate Emerging Designers Spotlight Live on the ICFF Talks Main Stage on Sunday, May 17 at 4 pm. Alum Jonsara Ruth 92 ID will participate in the conversation Designing Out Toxicity: Toward Healthier Material Futures at The Oasis at ICFF on Sunday, May 17 at 3 pm. All talks are open to ICFF + WANTED event registrants. Register here to attend.

Alums are also engaged in other NYCxDESIGN programming and activity beyond the Javits Center. Martine Gutierrez 17 PR, Mo Costello MFA 14 PH, and Maia Chao MFA 17 GL are featured in the Whitney Biennial 2026. Furniture Design faculty member Pete Oyler MFA 09 FD will be exhibiting at Paraphernalia: Alien at the SO-IL building (144 Vanderbilt Avenue, Brooklyn) from May 8–22 and in the Flying High, Kite Exhibition on May 30 (Beach 97th Street in Rockaway Beach, Queens from 12–5 pm and film screening at Arverne Cinema, 415 B 72nd Street, Arverne, NY from 8:30–10:00 pm).

 For a directory of all known RISD community participation at NYCxDESIGN, visit connect.risd.edu.