Not just a chance to discover the best of creativity Made in Australia, but also a moment to meet, greet and do business. In the program of Melbourne Design Week, the Melbourne Design Fair is a unique, key event.
Organized by the National Gallery of Victoria in collaboration with the Melbourne Art Foundation, the initiative takes place from 16 to 20 March (at Warehouse 16, in the fashionable Abbotsford district), presenting limited editions of contemporary collectible design, including one-offs and rarities by leading Australian creators and makers, famous or on their way to greater renown. Everything on view is available for purchase.
There are two platforms for display. Present, curated by NGV, includes the country’s 13 leading galleries, among others. Select, on the other hand, brings together over 35 creative talents in an exhibition curated by Simone LeAmon and Hugh Williamson, Curator of Contemporary Design and Architecture at NGV: a mix of works by veterans and rising stars, including Dale Hardiman, Ashley Eriksmoen, Emery & Poole, Pirjo Haikola, Elliot Bastianon.
The fair also includes a program of conversations with designer-exhibitors, curators and critics, to expand awareness of contemporary collecting as a new scene for worldwide design. Visitors can also enjoy a series of films presented by Mercedes-Benz Australia – the main partner of the event – to offer more info on creative practices and the work of the participating designers.
“It is a celebration of design culture and trade in our country,” says Maree Di Pasquale, CEO of Melbourne Art Foundation. “A platform of investment and innovation that brings together the most influential professionals of the region to nurture a new commercial market.”
Melbourne Design Week, which continues until 27 March, also offers many stimuli with a focus on the theme “design the world you want,” in various locations around the city. As many as 300 events to explore a wide range of disciplines gravitating around design, and how they can contribute to create a better future. There is also the Melbourne Art Book Fair, where publishers, artists and creatives converge, and of course there is a prize: the Victorian Premier’s Design Awards, created in 1996 as a tribute to industry and talent.
