TL;DR
New York design studio Apparatus presented Act V: Afsaneh in October 2026, its first collection in five years. Conceived by artistic director Gabriel Hendifar, the lighting, furniture and objects draw on Persian mythology, his mother’s name and a four-part story of creation, transformation, knowledge and community.
New York design studio Apparatus presented Act V: Afsaneh in October 2026, introducing its first collection in five years. Conceived by artistic director Gabriel Hendifar, the lighting, furniture and objects draw on Persian mythology and his personal history, using four connected chapters to trace a story from origins to community.
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The collection’s title links a Persian word with family history: Afsaneh means “fable” in Persian and is also the name of Hendifar’s mother. Apparatus describes the collection as a modern fable and a tribute to her, with the divine feminine presented as a source of creativity, knowledge and renewal. Those themes are the studio’s framing of the work, rather than a claim that the objects have a single fixed meaning.
Its four chapters take their names from Persian words. Esfand: The Seed addresses origins, fertility and protection; its lacquered finishes draw on colors the studio associates with nature. Gol: The Flower develops the themes of growth and transformation, including molded fiberglass surfaces. The collection’s Afsaneh fragrance, described as a blend of damask rose, oud and frankincense, extends the floral idea through scent.
Rahvi: The Serpent focuses on the pursuit and transmission of knowledge. Water-formed brass and blown glass form sinuous shapes, accompanied by semiprecious stones including tiger’s eye, black onyx, quartz, honey agate, red jasper, lapis lazuli and aventurine. The final chapter, Jahaan: The World, turns toward gathering and shared experience, combining bronze, aluminum and cast glass.
A Narrative Across Design and Material
Act V gives Apparatus a way to present a range of products as parts of one story, rather than as isolated designs. The four chapters connect lighting, furniture and decorative objects through recurring themes and materials, while adding techniques such as fiberglass molding and water-forming to the studio’s familiar use of brass, glass and bronze.
The release also reaches beyond a product presentation. Apparatus worked with the Martha Graham Dance Company on five short films interpreting the collection through movement. That collaboration connects Hendifar’s interest in how objects shape human environments with dance as a way to express the body and experience. The films are planned for episodic release beginning in fall 2026, giving the project a later public-facing phase.
The announced presentations in several cities could also give the collection different settings rather than one fixed display. Apparatus says each location will receive its own interpretation. The source does not provide details about changes between those presentations, so the extent of that variation is not yet clear.
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Five Years Since the Previous Collection
Apparatus is a New York-based design studio whose work brings together lighting, furniture and objects. According to the source report, Act V follows a five-year gap since the studio’s previous collection. Hendifar’s approach emphasizes designing complete environments, where objects contribute to a shared atmosphere instead of being conceived only as standalone pieces.
The title’s two meanings help frame the collection’s structure: Afsaneh is both a word for “fable” and Hendifar’s mother’s name. The chapters move from seed to flower, serpent and world, joining references to Persian language and mythology with materials, color and scent. The report describes those themes as the collection’s inspiration; it does not establish that each design represents a specific traditional myth or historical artifact.
““Life is shaped by cycles. Creation and destruction. The separation from self and the return.””
— Gabriel Hendifar, Apparatus artistic director
Details Still Awaiting Release
The source report does not list individual pieces, prices, production quantities, purchase availability or technical specifications. It also does not detail how each city’s installation will differ, beyond saying that each presentation will have its own interpretation. The films’ specific release dates within the fall 2026 schedule have not been provided.
The reported mythology and symbolism describe Apparatus’s creative framework. The available material does not identify specific source texts or explain whether the references are tied to particular traditional stories. No further details about the planned London, Miami or Los Angeles presentations are included.
City Presentations and Film Releases
After the New York presentation in October 2026, Apparatus plans to present the collection in London later that month, followed by Miami and Los Angeles in February 2027. The studio says each city will receive its own interpretation of Act V: Afsaneh, though further information about venues and installation details was not supplied in the report.
The five films made with the Martha Graham Dance Company are scheduled to begin releasing episodically in fall 2026. Their release will extend the project beyond the physical presentations. Specific dates, platforms and the sequence of the films remain unannounced in the source material.
Key Questions
What is Apparatus’s Act V: Afsaneh?
It is a collection of lighting, furniture and objects presented by New York design studio Apparatus in October 2026. The studio says it is inspired by Persian mythology, personal history and the cyclical nature of life.
What does Afsaneh mean?
The source report says Afsaneh means “fable” in Persian and is also the name of artistic director Gabriel Hendifar’s mother. Both meanings inform the collection’s title and story.
What are the collection’s four chapters?
The chapters are Esfand: The Seed, Gol: The Flower, Rahvi: The Serpent and Jahaan: The World. They address origins and protection, growth, knowledge, and community, respectively, according to Apparatus’s description.
Where will Act V: Afsaneh be presented?
Following its New York presentation in October 2026, the collection is planned for London later that month, then Miami and Los Angeles in February 2027. Venue details were not included in the report.
When will the dance films be released?
Five short films made with the Martha Graham Dance Company are scheduled to begin releasing episodically in fall 2026. The source does not give exact dates or platforms.
Source: rss
