NGV announces Melbourne Design Fair, a celebration of Australian design

The National Gallery of Victoria and Melbourne Art Foundation gear up to celebrate Australian design as they announce the inaugural Melbourne Design Fair, to commence Melbourne Design Week. The design fair will take place from the 16th to 20th of March and will be presenting rare and limited designs put forth by some of the leading and emerging contemporary Australian designers. With its presentation of collectible and contemporary design, Melbourne Design Fair is a cultural window into Australian design, while also allowing the showcased works to be commercially available to the visitors. “A platform for investment and innovation, Melbourne Design Fair will bring together the region’s most influential designers and makers, collectors, curators, and critics to cultivate a new commercial market for collectable design.” says Maree Di Pasquale, CEO of Melbourne Art Foundation.

The Melbourne Design Fair will be split into two categories; Present & Select. ‘Present’ is the platform of Melbourne Design Fair which allows galleries and studios to present dedicated displays, retelling their storyboard. The ‘Select’ aspect of Melbourne Design Fair is a collection of the best works by multiple designers, curated by Simone LeAmon from NGV. The works from both, will be available for sale at the fair itself. Curious visitors can also partake in the series of talks and discussions between exhibitors, curators and critics; programmed to put the spotlight on the collectable design scene, both within Australia and internationally. The fair’s major partner, Mercedes-Benz Australia will also be presenting a film series that goes more in depth into the designers’ and their creative processes and works.

Present will be showcasing the works of 13 Australian galleries and studios. The list of studios participating include Gallery Sally Dan-Cuthbert, Sullivan+Strumpf and Local Design from Sydney; Sophie Gannon Gallery, Studio Roland Snooks, Broached Commissions, Agency Projects, Christopher Boots, C. Gallery, Modern Times and Craft from Melbourne; JamFactory from Adelaide and Design Tasmania from Tasmania. Select will be exhibiting the individual works of over 35 artists and designers, some of which are Dale Hardiman, Ashley Eriksmoen, Emery and Poole, Pirjo Haikola, Elliot Bastianon, Marta Figueiredo, Jordan Fleming, Adam Goodrum, Brodie Neill, Ella Saddington, Susan Cohn, James Lemon, Delissa Walker, Helen Kontouris, Jon Goulder, Andrew Carvolth, Cassie Leatham, Anna Varendorff and Damien Wright, among others.