Design Made Trade: Springboard exhibition
Springboard exhibition, Design Made TradeWhile the ADU was officially launched online today, the story really begins more than eighteen months ago when we launched our first initiative – Springboard.
Springboard is a practice-based, support program for emerging designers throughout Australia. The program is delivered through education, mentorship, the ADU web site, one-on-one advice from industry experts, studio visits, and online exchanges. You can read more about the program including who took part and more information on what its all about here.
Last month during the 2009 State of Design festival in Melbourne, the ADU held an exhibition at Design Made Trade focused on the Springboard Project. The exhibition was designed and curated by ADU co-director Heidi Dokulil, Graeme Smith of Parcel and Jenny Louey.
The objects and materials exhibited represented the work processes of twelve of the designers who participated in Springboard’s first mentoring program – Elliat Rich from Alice Springs, Alexi Freeman, Gretha Oost, Paul Justin, Jessie Fairweather and Tim Fleming in Melbourne, Rohan Nicol from Wagga Wagga, Gareth Brown from Adelaide, Alison Schutt from Brisbane, and Oliver Smith, Amy Cunningham and Chris Byrne from Sydney.
Heidi Dokulil puts the finishing touches to the exhibition
The display of most works labelled ‘design’ usually happens in one of two settings: a gallery/museum setting in which they are presented as design artifacts, or a retail setting in which they are presented as desirable objects for sale.
The Springboard exhibition attempted to show a third way in which design could be shown. By revealing what happens behind the scenes: in studios, workshops and factories, its possible for the viewer to begin to understand the time, effort, and skills embedded within each of the objects on show.
The exhibition revealed that models, sketches, notes on envelopes, hesitant starts and dead ends, photograph, material tests, prototypes and explorations are the ingredients that shape both design and business.
Products and studio artifacts from Alexi Freeman and Gretha Oost
Prototypes from Oliver Smith's 'One' range
Chris Byrne's exhibition flip book
All photographs by Graeme Smith, 2009.
1 Comment
what a wonderful initiative – and what a useful resource. best wishes for it to grow and gain currency. Lindsay Johnston, architecture foundation australia.