A Deep Dive into Melbourne Design Week 2021 Highlights.

Following on from our beloved video snapshot from Melbourne Design Week 2021, today is all about taking a deeper dive into the shows we either visited during our stay or wished we could’ve seen but were unable to for one reason or another.

Underpinned by three overarching principles – Care, Climate & Community – Melbourne Design Week 2021 presented with plenty of heart, silver linings and provocative ideas aiming to design a better world for everyone – the one that not only looks good but is good for the planet too. Also, as our mate, Volker Haug perfectly put in our video – “I really hope the world will learn from this, and things will get better. And on a human level, people are kinder and nicer to each other… and [there’s aren’t] so many f*ckwits around.” Amen!

Let’s take a closer look.

Related: The Good, The Inspiring & The Talented: Melbourne Design Week 2021 Video Highlights.

One of the most Instagrammed exhibition of MDW21 and for a good reason, Wonderstruck by One Two One Two brought together eight designers, asking them to imagine their version of a happy place – a direct antidote to the doom and gloom of 2020. Pictured here — Orange bench by Andrew Carvolth in the foreground and Dean Toepfer’s arresting light sculpture dubbed ‘Memories of you and the light that it brings’. “This object is based upon the joyous and positive memories we rely upon when going through a loss or separation. Each of the five elements in the piece represents a different memory, story, place, or emotion, with each element serving as an independent light source that contributes to the whole. It is through combining and reflecting on these happy experiences that we create our own fantastical and whimsical memory palaces for retreat.” — Dean Toepfer

Glass objects by Ayano Yoshizumi.

Heart credenza by Danielle Brustman.

Ceramics by Kerryn Levy.

Crystal covered objects by Elliot Bastianon.

Lamps by Jordan Fleming.

Pandemic as Inspiration

Coronavirus and its profound effects chartered high in the minds of many designers, some of whom turned to the pandemic as the core inspiration for their creative output.

Csongvay Blackwood‘s Making Waves exhibition presented the Eltham-based duo’s latest range of ceramic sculptures featuring undulating forms that delivered an evocative series representing the dramatic impacts of pandemics throughout human history. “Pandemics have affected our lives since the ancient Greeks and the Plague of Athens, where disease challenged democratic institutions and human behaviour to the point that it undermined the world’s first democracy,” said Csilla Csongvay and Matt Blackwood. “The hard-edge geometries of Making Waves reference how each step towards hygiene and the common good is the foundation in reducing these pandemic waves from growing into a tsunami.”

Csongvay Blackwood Making Waves. Photo courtesy of Csongvay Blackwood.

2021.5 hybrid sculpture and artwork by industrial designer Tom Fereday and artist Kate Banazi is a physical manifestation of personal experiences from the COVID-19 pandemic. Photo courtesy of Tom Fereday.

Sydney-based industrial designer Tom Fereday and artist Kate Banazi collaborated on 2021.5 – a hybrid sculpture and artwork that was a physical documentation of their personal experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. Presented as part of Community by alt. material, the project was driven by data that captured local COVID-19 case statistics and qualitative diaries Kate Banazi kept throughout the pandemic. Measuring 1.5 meters in length (the good ol’ social distancing guideline), the striking totem became a large-scale rolling press that imprinted graphical lines of Covid data pressed onto a linen artwork. “Each printed line is an honest visual depiction of the emotional torrent and experiences presented by this unique moment time” – one that’s left a permanent imprint on all of us.

Taking a more cheerful approach, Andrew Carvolth and Elliot Bastianon of One Two One Two curated the Wonderstruck exhibition, asking eight participating designers to imagine their version of a happy place – a direct antidote to the doom and gloom of 2020. “It’s fair to say that the last 18 months have been plagued by the grim realities of a world in crisis,” explained Andrew and Elliot. “We want to bring awe and wonder into dark days.” The resulting exhibition erred on the side of fantasy, featuring joyous colour palettes as “an escape from the present into a world of adventurous forms and fanciful outlooks.” Yes, please!

A beautiful, quiet achiever – Future Inheritance: 20 Speculative Objects for a Time to Come, curated by Marsha Golemac.

Chatting to the beautiful and talented Marsha at her show. Right: Azbuka Rug by Jacqueline Stojanovic.

A Form of Fine Balance by Ben Sheers. Left: Probart Sink by Catherine Jones. See more here.

Another favourite from MDW21 was the After Hours show, hosted at Volker Haug studio —an exhibition of side projects by local creatives, and the work they do when they’re not at work. The exhibition featured the works of local designers Anna Varendorff, Michael White, Johan Hermijanto, Oliver du Puy, Brahman Perera, Ritz & Ghougassian, Wes Waddell, Marsha Golemac as well as team Volker Haug. Read more about the show here.

(Making faces and) chatting to Abde and Volker and the After Hours show. How beautiful is this studio space, by the way?

Chairs by Anna Varendorff at After Hours. See more here.

Lamps by Anna Varendorff and artwork by Marsha Golemad in the background.

Volker giving an emotional speech that became our video closer—as you can probably see, there was not a dry eye in the house. Love you VH! X

Brahman Perera at After Hours. See more from this beautiful show here.

CARING is Sharing

One could argue that to design; one has to Care. In this vein, most exhibitions could and should fall under this core thematic pillar of MDW21, although one of them, in particular, stuck out to me the most. Curated by one of Melbourne’s finest creative talents, Marsha Golemac, Future Inheritance: 20 Speculative Objects for a Time to Come explored how seemingly insignificant objects can be enriched by storytelling. This quietly powerful, perfectly executed exhibition showcased all new works by twenty multi-disciplinary artists and designers Marsha hand-picked herself, and often out of obscurity – she invited each participant to consider how and why value is instilled in objects, regardless of their monetary value. This deeply personal and emotionally resonant exhibition invited observers to imagine a future where culture is valued through design while highlighting the emotional, environmental and social impact of what is left behind.

Organised by Finding Infinity, A New Normal was arguably the week’s flagship exhibition that also took out the Melbourne Design Week Award. An inspiring showcase of ambitious ideas by fifteen of Australia’s top architecture and design practices who joined forces to challenge the city with their progressive ideas on making Melbourne self-sufficient by 2030. Shown here is Ha’s proposal for solar agriculture in Latrobe Valley.

The building where A New Normal exhibition was hosted was transformed with a dramatic paint intervention by Ash Keating.

Solar Architecture by John Wardle Architects proposes the use of solar panels to transform unused Melbourne rooftops.

Curated by E tū and Ulla-Britta, the By-Product group exhibition explored how circular economy and open-source knowledge sharing can help reduce waste in design. Rosanna Ceravolo worked with samples and offcuts from Fibonacci Stone to create an arresting coffee table. “I have somewhat of a love-hate relationship with my studio sample library. The Australian construction industry generates over 20m tons of waste each year, yet it’s easy to become acquiescent to this fact from within the woke confines of the architecture studio, brimming with indoor plants and keep cups. The towers of physical samples endemic to most architecture studios are both a tangible and visual reminder of the material effects of design and its impact on the environment – be that good or bad. It also serves to track the constantly “evolving” trend-scape which dictates much of what is added to (and removed from) our built form.” — Rosanna Ceravolo

Table light by Portuguese architect Marta Figueiredo who re-utilised resin powder waste carefully collected from cutting resin sheets for a project.“Extensively used in screens and furniture, resin is trending with candy furniture popping up in our Instagram feed. Resin is plastic and degrades very slowly hence contaminates our entire ecosystem. During the Covid-19 pandemic, acrylic screens were installed in shops and offices to protect workers, making resin as indispensable as ever. Resin is a cheap and formable thermoplastic but is difficult to recycle. While offcuts can be heat-pressed together to form new sheets, the waste from cutting requires a pyrolysis process, which presents a challenge in the management of this waste. Efficient pyrolysis techniques are key to achieving a circular economy.” — Marta Figueiredo

E-waste weave by Georgie Brunmayr was constructed from over 5,000 meters of electrical waste and cables, collected from rubbish bins around Melbourne and Bendigo regions. Woven on-loom by hand, removed and attached to a wooden frame, the work stands at 2.4m x 1.4m and weighs 26 kilograms. “I am constantly observing the structural and visual rhythms within built and natural environments—how they interact and exist because and in spite of each other—and sourcing inspiration from the field of biomimetics, the underscore of this work is not that materials exist, but how they can be manipulated to lengthen their useful lifespan, extending their purpose indefinitely.” — Georgie Brunmayr

Fight for CLIMATE

Unsurprisingly, climate concerns chartered high on the agenda – and for a good reason. Let’s face it – our planet is basically fucked unless we do something about the climate crisis and quick smart. Designers of this world know this better than most.

The most prominent showcase of this thinking was seen at A New Normal organised by Finding Infinity – arguably the week’s flagship exhibition that took out the Melbourne Design Week Award. This was an inspiring showcase of ambitious ideas by fifteen of Australia’s top architecture and design practices (John Wardle Architects, Kennedy Nolan, Ha, Clare Cousins, Foolscap Studio and Edition Office, to name a few) who joined forces to challenge the city with their progressive ideas on making Melbourne self-sufficient by 2030.  The exhibition championed a $100 billion zero-carbon strategy for Melbourne via prototypes, concepts and designs for large-scale, real-world projects for a future city that’s water neutral, powered by renewable energy and generates no waste.

A Sea at the Table by Other Matter and Fluff Corp – a solo show of bioplastic vessels consisting of a range of ceramic items glazed with bioplastic. Photo: Tom Ross.

On a smaller but equally important scale, Other Matter, an experimental studio working with algae-based bioplastics founded by Jessie French, presented A Sea at the Table – a solo show of vessels and objects made in collaboration with Fluff Corp. Comprising a range of items with ceramic ‘bodies’ and algae’ glazes’, the exhibition invited visitors to engage with the possibilities of a post-petrochemical world. Jessie explains that algae-based bioplastic is safe enough to eat and is made of entirely organic materials: an important distinction from many materials described as bioplastics which include a percentage of synthetic ingredients. Further to this, bioplastic developed by Other Matter can be recycled in a home kitchen in about an hour – being vitally different to most ‘bioplastics’ materials that require transport to and processing in a commercial facility.

Curated by E tū and Ulla-Britta, the By-Product group exhibition explored how circular economy and open-source knowledge sharing can help reduce waste in design. Seventeen Australian designers created an object made from waste by-products from their respective practice, making their process and insights open-source for the broader design community. By-product offered online and IRL experience, including a three-day group exhibition in East Brunswick’s Mycelium Studios and a digital showcase of an open-source website exhibiting videos and downloadable resources to help others create from waste.

Exhibition view of JamFactory’s ‘Crafts, Crossovers & Collaborations’.

Kupole Table Lamps by Kristel Britcher.

Settimo shelves by Luca Lettieri.

Tali Tjuta vases by Selinda Davidson.

Wrapped floor lights and wall sconces by Ivana Taylor.

A standout piece at JamFactory’s ‘Crafts, Crossovers & Collaborations’ – and possibly from the whole event – was the Solute Chandelier, created by designer Dean Toepfer and glassblower Liam Fleming. The duo managed to augment the centuries-old craft of glass-blowing through the use of modern design technologies like computer modelling and mould making, completed with commercially available lighting componentry. Outstanding.

Little vignettes from the Jam Cafe.

For Designwork 05, Sophie Gannon Gallery presented Volume III, a solo exhibition of ‘puddle’ mirrors by Cordon Salon — a Melbourne-based studio focused on researching, reimagining and experimenting as a method to discover new outcomes in concept, process and design. 

Volume III expands on Cordon Salon’s previous experiments with traditional silvering methods and modern materials. Intended to evoke emotion in the viewer, the colours chosen in this body of work are inspired by aura photography and Kate Mitchell’s 2020 exhibition All Auras Touch.

“Volume III was developed in early 2020. With the lockdowns we were unable to show the work and are so pleased to be finally doing so and with the support of the incredible team are Sophie Gannon Gallery it’s very exciting”, says Ella Saddington, creative director of Cordon Salon.

Alongside the puddle process, Cordon Salon developed a range of colour changing, multi-chromatic and transparent finishes. “I love the contrast of high and low tech, traditional and modern, ” said Ella. “Our intention is to highlight a rather remarkable antiquated process. Each piece is individual and completely unique.”

A Suggestion of a Possibility is a contemplation on the mise-en-scene of household objects by Nat Turnbull. “As the form and function of a once-familiar object is presented with ambiguity, a dialogue forms between the object and the audience as the subject.”

Each object revealed a situational analysis of our bodies in relation to our everyday objects.

Chatting with Nat at her beautiful show.

Drift by Tom Fereday (looking through to the installation by Nat Turnbull), presented a series of 100 unique cast quartz glass forms, exploring the notion of natural passive finishing.

Each of the 100 objects were patinated and uniquely finished by the tidal drift of the Tasman Sea. Natural abrasion of the ocean water and silica celebrates the beauty and unique variation of the natural finishing process, cycling back the origins of the glass itself to its ultimate presentation.

Drift by Tom Fereday and A Suggestion of a Possibility Nat Turnbull from above.

A World We Don’t Want by Friends & Associates was a sombre look at the opposite of what we want, to understand what we don’t want. The show presented thirteen challenging ideas on a crappy world by leading Australian creatives. The exhibition design by the curators, Dale Hardiman and Tom Skeehan, was equally as challenging – dimly lit space featured plinths made from timber laminate – material ubiquitous to suburban homes – becoming a visually challenging backdrop for all the works to be displayed on. Clever.

Left: “What we did on our holidays” by Nicole Lawrence and Thomas Coward – a hypothetical beach chair, named after a sunken village on an island in the Pacific Ocea. Right: “Playing with Fire Blanket” by Karina Seljak – a new kind of PPE for fire preparedness at home, inspired by Australia’s Black Summer in 2019/2020.. Back: “The warp and weft of deflection, direction, curation, and control” table by Damien Wright.

Dale Hardiman and Tom Skeehan of Friends & Associates.

thomasFlack Studio x Inform Upholstery Design ‘In Transit’ at Friends & Associates’ A World We Don’t Want. Photo: Anson Smart.

‘Small Appliance’ by Dale Hardiman x Stephen Royce at Friends & Associates’ A World We Don’t Want.

‘What we did on our holidays’ by Nicole Lawrence x Thomas Coward at Friends & Associates’ A World We Don’t Want.

Occupying storefronts in Collingwood and Fitzroy, COMMUNITY, presented by alt. material, invited design practitioners to respond to the namesake theme. Shonw here is 2021.5 hybrid sculpture by Tom Fereday and Kate Banazi in situ.

Community Amalgam by Pascale Gomes-Mcnabb – a moving feast of shared interests & objects. “The self-imposed brief was to create a table from salvaged, gifted, borrowed and found materials & elements from my community – my neighbourhood, the people I work with on projects and for one piece FB Marketplace – another type of community,” says Pascale.

UNION coffee table by René Linsses.

Connection = Community is a collaboration between Melbourne based British Designer Dean Norton and San Francisco-based Australian artist Sarah Hotchin.

COMMUNITY Matters

One of this year’s reoccurring themes was the celebration of the Australian artisanal community – the people behind the works and those who make the objects and realise designers’ complex visions.

A fine example of this thinking was JamFactory‘s Crafts, Crossovers & Collaborations. Co-curated by Caitlin Eyre and Brian Parkes, the exhibition highlighted the rich variety of creative output made possible through the intersections of unique networks and connections made possible by the Adelaide institution. The objects celebrated materiality and process as well as the stories of human connection and the collective enterprise behind their creation. For my money, the standout piece in the exhibition – and possibly from the whole event from the ready-to-go product perspective – was the Solute Chandelier, created by product designer Dean Toepfer and glassblower Liam Fleming. The duo managed to augment the centuries-old craft of glass-blowing through the use of modern design technologies like computer modelling and mould making, completed with commercially available lighting componentry. Through working closely together, Dean and Liam were able to marry two very different skillsets through a shared aesthetic sensibility, creating a distinctive product neither designer could have developed alone. Outstanding.

Similarly, at Sophie Gannon Gallery, Cordon Salon developed a range of colour changing, multi-chromatic and transparent finishes for their puddle mirrors, highlighting a remarkable, antiquated process of making mirrors where each end piece is individual and unique. The production method was developed with a Master mirror maker, Luke Price of Outlines Custom Mirror Finishes. “Collaboration is a huge part of our ethos at Cordon Salon, and championing the incredible community of makers in Australia working behind the scenes is really important to us,” says Creative Director Ella Saddington. “By highlighting their craft, we hope to promote their practices to other designers so they may secure opportunities outside the work we make together… It’s never been a better time to invest in our community.”

Community was also paramount at the Friends & Associates group show, organised by Dale Hardiman and Tom Skeehan. Friends & Associates is an ongoing process-based project initiated by Dale and Tom in 2017, having had a significant presence at MDW with hundreds of designers and creatives to date. This year the collective presented another major highlight of the week – a group show dubbed A World We Don’t Want. Taking the view that sometimes to find out what we want, we need to look to the opposite; the show presented thirteen challenging ideas by leading Australian creatives. One such idea came via Flack Studio with Inform Upholstery + Design, who showcased ‘In transit’ – a design classic-inspired coal covered furniture object that examines the designers’ role in the high turnover and blatant consumerism synonymous with the world of interior design.

Also forming part of Friends & Associates were the solo installations by Natalie Turnbull (A Suggestion of a Possibility) and Tom Fereday (Drift) – both of whom offered a more optimistic look at the future. In a humble but thoughtfully presented show, Nat examined our relationship with everyday objects – a chair, a table, a light and a plate – ultimately questioning how we live and the objects we chose to surround ourselves with. Tom’s dramatic installation of 100 unique cast quartz glass forms explored the idea of natural passive finishing. “Harnessing the unique finishing agent of tidal water for a collection of glass objects, Drift is a naive exploration into natural, non-powered processes promoting a conversation of how we may better work symbiotically with nature,” he says. Couldn’t love it more, Tom.

Broached Recall presented by Broached Commissions, in partnership with Elton Group. Don’t act like you’re not impressed.

The debut exhibition of Broached Recall at Design Miami in 2019 was the first iteration of this collection, presenting five ‘Monolith’ cabinets made from sliced heritage burl walnut harvested from nineteenth-century Victorian antique furniture. Broached worked with legendary typographic artist and long-standing collaborator John Warwicker to develop a graphical pattern language for Broached Recall which was then extruded into three-dimensional forms.

Chatting to Lou Weis and Laura Clauscen of Broached Commissions.

The second release of Broached Recall and debut exhibition in Australia showcased the precious historical veneer archive of Elton Group, dating back to the 1930s. The highly articulated Recall objects enacted a cutting machine, a modern grid template that absorbed and connected the habits of the past to the material technology of the present.

James Makin Gallery in Collingwood welcomed visitors with ‘The Nature Of An Island’ – a solo exhibition of brand new works by designer Dale Hardiman and ceramic artist James Lemon. See more here.

Explored through a collection of objects, The Nature Of An Island was the first formal collaboration between Hardiman and Lemon, but with a twist – the two creatives were not allowed to communicate during the process.

Presented At The Above, Lab by Justin Ridler was an exhibition of the photographer’s recent work. “A journey of connection and informal discovery, where multiple iterations of work emerge through both staged and naturally occurring collisions — offering a vision of a utopian future.” In other words, it was pretty cool.

I’m a sucker for a good interactive moment.

Justin Ridler invited collaborators to join him in a project of play and togetherness. The project developed over multiple existences and through sharing resources, collaborating across disciplines and embracing the new – this expanding library of work was built with a process of unpredictable chaos and resolution. The space At the above was a series of digital and physical works viewers could engage with – the experience further enhanced by immersive digital experiences.

‘Numbers as Art’ Exhibition at Backwoods Gallery, BASE10 proposed an alternative approach to the nature and purpose of typography, using the vehicle of numbers.

Twenty typographers from around the world were invited to design a number from 0—10 with the request to reflect something about their locality in the design, whether that be cultural, geographical, historical or socio-political.

New Assemblage presented Future Proof a satellite exhibition of contemporary collectible and exploratory design projects from 21 emerging and established interdisciplinary artists, designers, and makers practices from across Australia and New Zealand. The exhibition responded to the MDW theme ‘Design the world that you want’ by focussing on community building. Activating one of the many vacant shopfronts on Fitzroy’s Gertrude street, the curators, Ella Saddington and Brigitte Owers-Buccianti, invited new and varied exhibitors the majority of whom haven’t had the opportunity to exhibit and MDW before.

Object A – A place for waiting by Bianca Sciuto. “With a focus on transitional space, this object is designed to explore thin long spaces, specifically corridors and thoroughfares and the concept of waiting in relation to time”

Killer socks and sandals combo demonstrating how sexy Nicole Lawrence’s Smooth Cabinet is when it opens.

Object acter my own heart – Negroni Fountain – Rituals of Decadence by Andrew Hustwaite & Perrin McKirdy, “a refrigerated fountain that is capable of continually pouring a liquid at below zero temperatures.”

House Bag by Use Daily, made out of discarded outdoor materials.

Left: Formosa Coat Rack by Real Not Real. Right: Very conceptual and expensive by Brud.

Prism Light by Cordon Salon. The light captures of sense of wonder, experimenting with polycarbonate panels commonly used in office ceilings. “By introducing a Multi-layer Polymeric polyester to the inside surface of the panel I was able to add colour variation,” explains Ella Saddington. 

Chromosphere Blue by Melbourne-based Glassblower Artist, Miles Johnson.

Metamorphosis by Marlo Lyda resues the discarded by-product of the electroplating process.

Material Exploration

Another key theme of the week was material and process exploration, challenging a myriad of preconceived ideas – aesthetic or otherwise.

One of the week’s personal highlights was the always on-point Broached Commissions, who, in partnership with Elton Group, presented an exhibition of Broached Recall applied-arts objects. Launched initially at Design Miami in 2019, twelve new limited and open edition functional objects continued the line of enquiry “that attempts to expose the design industry’s wilful contribution to a world that is full of products and denuded of life.” For this exhibition, Broached and Elton dived through the archives to select eight heritage timber veneer species paired with Elton Group’s colourful contemporary reconstructed veneer range. By matching new and historical veneers, each Recall object offers a dialogue between the past and present global management of the timber industry. The pieces also successfully reposition timber species that have fallen “out of fashion” over the years, making them desirable and relevant again.

Charlie White’s Opus Vincula experimental objects are made using curbside mattresses. See more here.

Opus Vincula by Charlie White was an uber-cool exhibition of experimental objects made using curbside mattresses as a source of polyurethane foam the designer transformed into furniture and lighting objects. After being soaked in a cement bath, wet pieces of mattress foam were bound with chains to create sculptural forms, communicating “the aesthetic language of sombre, gothic plasticity.”

Preliminary Structures presented seven contemporary makers and designers working with moulding and casting techniques across ceramic and glass disciplines. Exploring new ideas that reflect on craft’s complicated relationship to industry, sculpture, design and architecture, the exhibition challenged preconceived ideas of industrial perfection and replication, elevating preliminary structures into objects celebrated for their craftsmanship and artform.

A little slice of Milan in Melbourne – the beautiful Articolo showroom designed by David Goss. The Richmond space was transformed by a series of immersive light installations, “exploring the capacity of experimentation through creative collaboration.” The Art of Light showcased interdisciplinary works centred around community and the art of light, including a site-specific 100 Fizi ball installation.

On the opening night, Articolo closed the street with live music, cocktails, while the façade of the building was lit with hot pink coloured gels.

An interactive projection by award-winning Melbourne artist Yandell Walton interpreted Articolo’s Fizi fittings.

Are you still seriously reading this? You’re clearly a bit of a champ. Anyway, I don’t know about you, but I’m pooped. Time to have a nap.

While I’ve got you, I should point out the images below feature some of the shows we didn’t get to visit in person, but I wanted to bring them to your attention nonetheless.

Happy browsing!

James Walsh, Damon Moon & Liam Fleming at Preliminary Structures. Photo: Josephine Briginshaw.

Post Production by Liam Fleming at Preliminary Structures. Photo: Josephine Briginshaw.

Growth by Somchai Charoen at Preliminary Structures. Photo: Josephine Briginshaw.

Pixe’l by Kristin Burgham at Preliminary Structures. Photo: Josephine Briginshaw.

Re:Coquo at Modern Times celebrated the idea of being resourceful, creative, optimistic, risk-taking, contemplative, creative and flexible. Photo: Elise Scott.

Red Lamp by Nicole Lawrence, Blue Lamp by Zachary Frankel. Photo: Elise Scott.

Chairs by Lucas Wearne. Photo: Elise Scott.

Ceramics by Luke O’Connor. Photo: Elise Scott.

At Craft Vitoria, Jane McKenzie presented a new body of ceramic sculptures dubbed ‘Play of Light’. In response to the events of 2020, McKenzie has sought a new playfulness in this series of work and was loosely inspired by the Wooden Dolls designed by Alexander Girard in 1952. This can be seen in the embellishment of the sculptures with incised lines, white gloss and golden glaze on the terracotta clay. Photos courtesy Craft Victoria.

Nicole Lawrence’s pop-up showroom featuring the Melbourne designer’s core collection alongside works by Jordy van den Nieuwendijk, Claudia Lau, Brittany Rouse & Leisa Wharington. Photos: Nicholas Wilkins.

Porcelain Bear at Heide Museum – Metro Café Table + Polar Console. Photo: Haydn Cattach.

Porcelain Bear at Heide Museum – Acrobat Flat Bar Floor Lamp on a bed of recycled porcelain gravel. Photo: Haydn Cattach.

This Yellowtrace Promotion is proudly supported by NGV. Like everything we do, our partner content is carefully curated to maintain the utmost relevance to our readers. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Yellowtrace. 

[Unless otherwise noted, all images © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.]