Have you ever wanted to meet the creative minds behind Droog, Formafantasma, Khai Liew, and the like? Well now you can with the launch of an NGV speaker series, entitled Parallels, next month. Alice Blackwood reports.

Parallels: Journey into Contemporary Making is an initiative of the NGV’s new Department of Contemporary Design and Architecture, headed up by co-curators Ewan McEoin and Simone Le Amon.

Taking place 17 – 18 September, this 2-day speaker series welcomes over 10 international and 20 Australian designers and craft practitioners to discuss the future of contemporary craft and design.

Among those presenting will be Gijs Bakker, the co-founder of famed Netherlands brand, Droog. Also visiting Melbourne from Amsterdam will be Simone Farresin and Andrea Trimarchi of Formafantasma – who broke onto the international design scene with their Botanica collection and Autarchy installation back in 2011.

Melbourne-born London based designer, Brodie Neill of Made In Ration will also return to Melbourne, to take part in the series alongside Simon Hasan of Craft & Industry (London) and Shun Horiki of the East Japan Project (Tokyo).

Teaming up with locally renowned names such as Khai Liew and Jon Goulder, the conference will explore new ideas and new thinking that straddles all forms of making, from handmade to industrial, studio practice, curation, technology, retail strategy, online markets, international exhibiting, limited editions and more.

Attendees can expect to explore the full depth of the world’s cultural and commercial landscape for contemporary making, and gain new understanding of how craft and design exists alongside one another and – at times – together.

For the full list of speakers and to purchase tickets for the event visit ngv.vic.gov.au.

NGV
ngv.vic.gov.au

 

 

Southern Guild

 

Southern Guild

 

Southern Guild

 

Southern Guild

 

Gijs Bakker

 

Brodie Neill

 

Brodie Neill