Last week in Melbourne, an exhibition GAMUT: Alexandra Blac x Marcus Piper curated by Atelier Jade Niklai, opened to a capacity first night crowd.

The exhibition packs a powerful punch as it explores the collaboration between fashion and design inspired by 70s pop culture and retro futurism. A unique partnership between Alexandra Blac, an avant-garde fashion accessories designer-maker and Marcus Piper, well known multi-disciplinarian creative, has resulted in works that push the boundaries of design.

The exhibition’s title GAMUT refers to a spectrum of colour that also encompasses the full range of human emotions that culminate in hope. Together Blac and Piper showcase a limited-edition hand-crafted chandelier comprising large shards of acrylic with distinctive neon visual features. The hyper-contemporary work casts swathes of coloured light on surrounding surfaced through reflection and refraction.

“We have approached this collaboration from our distinct design sensibilities and personal trajectories to celebrate hope, joy and humanity. Our ‘gamut’ of form and colour pays tribute to the retro futurists of 70s pop culture and our shared passion for cultural symbols of our time, such as Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of Moon album sleeve,” says Blac and Piper.

However, each creative displays their particular genre, Blac with a suite of limited edition sculptural pieces which double as functional furniture, made from transparent acrylic and produced by hand. There is also an exclusive range of wearable objects in neon green, pink and orange that echo the form of the large chandelier.

Piper presents three new two-dimensional artworks made from printed, embossed, sand-blasted and mirrored glass. The innovative manufacturing techniques of the geometric shapes of the works reflect Pipers background in both industrial and graphic design.

Jade Niklai, Exhibition Curator, Founder and Artistic Director, Atelier Jade Niklai comments: “I am delighted to bring together two visionaries from the great spectrum of Australian design talent in this celebration of light, magic and hope. Their individual visions and their exceptional collaboration are the 21st century embodiment of a futurist hard-edge design spectacle.”

While there are many tangents of design that intersect and overlap, the particular genre and visions of Blac and Piper transcend the everyday and take us to another plane of creativity that complements each artist’s ability and talent.

Useful Objects was established to work with designers that challenge the norms of function and materials and in GAMUT there is an explosion of colour and the opportunity to view artistic endeavour and collaboration.

As Dr Simon Maidmen, Director of Useful Objects, explains: “I started Useful Objects to celebrate designers pushing themselves to create works that take their practices to new heights and in unexpected directions. The works in this exhibition represent this dream. I am excited that audiences will experience awe and wonder through these new works by Marcus and Alexandra.”

GAMUT: Alexandra Blac x Marcus Piper is both exciting and inspiring. It takes us on a journey through colour and form and provides food for artistic thought on multiple levels. The exhibition has been expertly curated to showcase design that is unexpected, finely crafted and provocative and not to be missed.

Useful Objects
usefulobjects.com.au

Marcus Piper
marcuspiper.com

Alexandra Blac
alexandrablac_studio

Atelier Jade Niklai
atelierjadeniklai.com

Photography
Courtesy of Useful Objects, Melbourne

Next up: Highlights from London Design Festival