A date with design: 100 Objects – Australian design at home

Photo by Mark Strizic

Published by
Pia Sinha
October 2, 2019

Discover 100 iconic products by some of Australia’s finest design talents in a brand-new exhibition that commemorates 100 years since Robin Boyd’s birth.

From the 12-26 October, architect Robin Boyd’s exemplary mid-century residence on Walsh Street will come alive with iconic Australian industrial design objects. Titled 100 Objects – Australian design at home, this part exhibition and part installation will celebrate the work of some of Australia’s most iconic industrial designers. The exhibition will showcase products that reflect the accessible and democratic Australian approach to modernism, while also highlighting contemporary household objects. 

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Golden Voice Trio 401H radio by Edward Healy

100 Objects, which has been curated by Ian Wong, pays homage to Boyd’s unwavering commitment to Australian design. The exhibition will commemorate 100 years of the legendary architect with 100 iconic and delightful products from our design history.

Studio K desk lamp by Bill Iggulden

The Walsh Street residence provides the perfect setting for an exhibition of this nature. Visitors will have access to the entire Boyd Home in their quest to discover significant pieces of Australian design history.

Inside Boyd’s Walsh Street home

Exhibition curator and collector Ian Wong states, “My research and collection are about these award-winning and iconic objects which, until now, have been mostly celebrated in museums and galleries. I am very excited with this project to provide the audience with a more immersive experience and to bring them back into the cultural context of the Australian home.”

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Staysharp Knife by Peter Bayly

A few key designers whose work will be featured include, Grant and Mary Featherston, Stuart Devlin, Susan Cohn, Clement Meadmore, Helen Kontouris, Joyce Coffey and Marc Newson. What’s more, winners of the Prince Philip Prize for Australian Design, namely the Wiltshire Staysharp knife, the Sabco timer tap and the Décor BYO wine cooler will also be displayed in typical household locations, so visitors can discover and explore.

Swing Top Kitchen Tidy by Lionel Suttie

“Bringing together 100 iconic designed objects is a delightful and hopefully surprising way to celebrate Australia’s incredible design history,” says Joy Villalino, CEO of the Robin Boyd Foundation. “Walsh Street provides a fitting stage to elevate these everyday objects for visitors to explore a unique design within design installation.”

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Visit robinboyd.org.au for more details on the exhibition.

Photography courtesy Robin Boyd Foundation.

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