Chris Mottalini and His Son, Nino, Rediscover the Magic of Seeing the World Through a Child’s Eyes

In a New Show, Photographer Chris Mottalini Sees the World Through His Son’s EyesPlus, Salem Charabi illuminates Egypt’s traditions with 15 sculptural lanterns and more Discoveries of the monthHoneycrisp, a still life from AD photographer Chris Mottalini's new series with his son, Nino.CraftIn a Village Outside Cairo, Architect and Designer Salem Charabi Unveils 15 Sculptural Lanterns That Illuminate the Traditions of His Adopted Home in EgyptSal Charabi's temporary installation of lanterns in Giza A lamp from his show Behind the Moon Mountain Another piece from the presentation Against the backdrop of Giza, architect/designer Salem Charabi just debuted fifteen lanterns in his first exhibition in Egypt—titled Behind the Moon Mountain and presented in the courtyard of his home/studio in the rural village of Al-Haraneya. Here, this past year, the Danish/Egyptian architect has made the Ramses Wissa Wassef Art Centre (founded in the early 1950s as a weaving school for children) a place of self-discovery. “The exhibition is the result of trying to uncover the landscapes that surround me,” says Charabi, who worked between Cairo and Copenhagen before moving to Egypt full-time in late 2025. “One of the luxuries of being from multiple places is the agility it gives you from a young age—the ability to rapidly adapt to your surroundings.” At the three-day installation, Charabi invited guests to observe the sun set and the lanterns come to life: The show’s title is inspired by the fable that the Nile springs from the Moon Mountains, an undefined range south of the country. Light in Egypt, he explains, is invoked continually as a blessing. When admiring something made by hand, one says, “May God illuminate your hands.” The 15 lanterns are made from hand-chiselled diorite from Aswan; palm reeds from date palms in Saqqara; and handmade paper made from the stems of banana palms in the Nile Delta. The lights also reference scenes of Cairo, a city of a million satellites, pigeon towers, and other improvised vertical structures. “I wanted to create an array of objects, derived from a type that changes and evolves with each iteration—illuminating the night, all exploring different proportions and scales. —Sam CochranThe lights aglow Egypt's improvisational architecture inspired the lighting series. ExhibitionsPhotographer Chris Mottalini Teams Up With His Young Son, Nino, on a Series of Painterly Images That Meditate on the Theme of HomeCatalpa/Lightbulbs, a still life by AD contributing photographer Chris Mottalini and his son, Nino. Red Onion Pablo Picasso famously asserted, “It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child.” The Spanish artist had lots to say about the struggle to recapture the magic and innocence of youth. Photographer Chris Mottalini, a frequent contributor to AD, found a shortcut in that journey, enlisting his son, Nino, as a collaborator on a project that has now spanned four years and two continents. “In 2022, when Nino was only five, I had the idea to task him with making sets out of paper, cardboard, and found objects for a new series of still-life images. I was just curious to see what he’d come up with,” Mottalini recalls. Nino accepted the challenge with gusto, unearthing oddities in the basement of the family’s home in the Hudson Valley, and foraging for foliage and flowers in the surrounding forest. The enterprise continued in Bangkok, the home of Nino’s maternal grandparents, where the budding artist discovered a wealth of antiques and toothsome Thai fruits. The results of their intriguing creative partnership are currently on view through November 15 at Available Items in Tivoli, New York, in an exhibition appropriately titled “Nino + Dad (Home Studies).” —Mayer RusDragonfruit (Kaew Mang-Kon Daeng) Longan (Lamyai) EntertainingTabitha Simmons Brings Autumn’s Rich Hues and English Country Charm to the Table With Her New Cabana CollectionA tablescape featuring Tabitha Simmons's new collection for Cabana Fall is a time for leaf-peeping. The holidays are moments to raise a glass. Both traditions come to life in Tabitha Simmons’s new line of tableware for Cabana. Drawing upon classic English country house motifs, her own family memories, and the blazing colors of New England fall, the star designer has conjured a series of instant heirlooms. Oak leaves and acorns ring hand-painted plates. Embroidered placemats and napkins bear playful scalloped edges and foliate motifs. And a tablecloth reveals dense botanicals in a saturated hues of browns and crimson. You can all but smell the crisp autumn air. –Sam CochranTabitha Simmons x Cabana Linen TableclothTabitha Simmons x Cabana Hand-Painted Murano Glass TumblerTabitha Simmons x Cabana Linen Napkins (Set of 4)Tabitha Simmons x Cabana Oak Hand-Painted Dinner PlateNot a subscriber? Join AD for print and digital access now.Sign up for our daily newsletter to get the best of design in your inbox.Sam Cochran currently serves as the brand’s Global Features Director. In that role he shepherds coverage of design, culture, travel, and architecture news for the print magazine while contributing to all of AD’s international platforms, editorial initiatives, and events. Sam is also the author of the upcoming book American Designers ... Read MoreMayer Rus is the West Coast Editor of Architectural Digest. A prominent author, critic, and lecturer for the past 30 years, he chronicles the work of the world’s leading designers and architects as well as the homes of today’s most prominent cultural figures, from pop stars to presidents. Prior to ... 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