Craft ACT reopens with two exhibitions

Transformation: Craft ACT annual members exhibition and CO:LAB illustrate the current trends in contemporary craft and design and showcase the outstanding results of the inaugural Craft ACT lighting professional development program.

Transformation: Craft ACT annual members exhibition showcases contemporary expressions of craft and design uniting time-honoured techniques with modern interpretations, in line with the Craft ACT golden anniversary celebrations.

Curated by Craft ACT, this exhibition highlights current trends in contemporary craft and design in Australia by accredited practitioners from the ACT and surrounding region and illustrate how the concept of Transformation underpins their work, in that they transform materials, like alchemists, into meaningful and beautiful objects. This exhibition will be opened by Minister Tara Cheyne MLA.

“As a membership organisation of 50 years running, our annual members exhibition is the highlight of our year as it showcases the diversity of contemporary practice in art craft and design. This year our makers have responded to the theme of Transformation and their works reflect the influence of the effects of the lockdown and the climate crisis.” said Jodie Cunningham, CEO + Artistic Director of Craft ACT.

Highlights from the exhibition include:

Yellow Bark Basket by Jennifer Kemarre Martiniello which is inspired by the bark baskets (tungas) from the Tiwi Islands and variations of other bark baskets from our freshwater and saltwater First Nations.

Transitions by Barbara Rogers who used innovative shibori techniques with other traditional resist-dye processes.

Papillon Lounge by Jochen Heinzmann is an open frame and segmented seat and back lending the design lightness and articulation.

The Promise of a Full Moon by Bev Hogg highlights the importance of smalls birds as indicators of environmental health.

Untitled Shoulder Brooch by Elizabeth Curry is a beautifully intricate mandala-style wearable piece.

CO:LAB features internationally acclaimed artists Cathy Franzi, Alison Jackson and Dan Lorrimer who were selected from a strong field as the inaugural Craft ACT CO:LAB recipients, an innovative professional development program to develop new lighting and encourage collaboration between architecture, craft and design. Embracing the spirit of collaboration, these makers have worked across disciplines and have gained exposure to commercial environments with other designers and clients.

“Professional Development programs like COLAB for our makers have the capacity to transform their practice to the next level, with mentoring being a key component. We are so grateful to the generous donors who made this possible, the mentors who shared their expertise and really excited by the outcomes the artists produced as a result of this exciting collaboration” said Jodie Cunningham, CEO + Artistic Director of Craft ACT.

The two exhibitions will be supported by a program of artist talks to deepen understanding of the work and ideas on display. Full details are available at craftact.org.au