Smart works: Exhibition

30 March – 4 November 2007

Smart works: design and the handmade displays the inspirational work of around 40 Australian and New Zealand designers and makers.

video iconVideo documentation of the talks from the symposium held on March 30, 31 and April 1, 2007, are now available.

Pincushion light, Andrew Last, New Zealand, 2004/5. New Sling rocking recliner, David Trubridge, New Zealand, 2006. Aloe Bud, light, Jeremy Cole, New Zealand/UK, designed 2005. Caterpillar bowls, glass, Jonathan Baskett, ACT/Mexico, 2006.

Together with a companion book, and a symposium held in the opening weekend, Smart works looks at the inspirational work of 40 Australian and New Zealand designers and makers. It explores what ‘the handmade’ means to each of these individuals and partnerships in relation to contemporary design and production.

For these people, their understanding of materials and technologies is essential to the success of their designs. They value skills and many have made lifelong commitments to a materials-based practice, often making one-off or limited series work for a specialised marketplace at home and overseas. Audiences who seek their work also want tangible personal associations with objects, through the way they look and feel and through knowing who made them.

However, these designers and makers also like to design objects for production and Smart Works documents the many different ways in which they have researched solutions and made their decisions. It looks at the ways they are meeting the challenges and opportunities provided by their relatively small local markets, their distant location from others, and the varied manufacturing capabilities of their region.

Smart Works looks at individual responses to some of the questions all are asking, including:

  • How do they develop sustainable, viable businesses?
  • How does production change the value of the handmade?
  • Can they produce their designs themselves?
  • Should they contract aspects to specialist industries?
  • How do they integrate new technologies with hand skills?
  • How important is their knowledge of materials?
  • What are their experiences in working in other countries?
  • Where are their markets and how do they reach them?

video icon Video documentation of the talks from the symposium are now available.

Curator: Grace Cochrane

Image credits:
Husque gobble bowls, 2006, Marc Harrison, Photo: Florian Groehn

Pincushion light, Andrew Last, New Zealand, 2004/5.
New Sling rocking recliner, David Trubridge, New Zealand, 2006.
Aloe Bud, light, Jeremy Cole, New Zealand/UK, designed 2005.
Caterpillar bowls, glass, Jonathan Baskett, ACT/Mexico, 2006. "

This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body.

Australia Council for the Arts

Supporter
Creative New Zealand, Arts Council of New Zealand Toi Aotearoa

Media partner
The Sydney Morning Herald