If the rain abates and the sun shines, the city of Sydney will come to life as 1000s of men and women fly into Sydney from around Australia and the world for the 2012 Sydney Mardi Gras which kicked off … Continue reading
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Not what you were expecting – tricked you! Have you bought shoes for 99 cents and got ten years international travel out of them? Well a Mr Fuller bought these in 1978 and trudged them all around Europe. He mended … Continue reading
The biggest name in architecture will be the subject of a major exhibition at the Powerhouse Museum. Australia’s first major exhibition devoted to the work of Le Corbusier will celebrate the work of the most influential architect of the twentieth … Continue reading
If you’re the type of design lover who expresses themselves by wearing mostly black or perhaps muted tones, preferring an understated style (which means avoiding bursts of flamboyance and primary colours at all costs) then you probably decided not to … Continue reading
Metaphor is an essential ingredient of the work of American mixed-media artist, Anne Mondro, overall winner of the Powerhouse Museum’s 2011 International Love Lace Award. Her winning entry, Detroit’s Shadow, is a life sized crocheted reproduction of a Model N … Continue reading
Memories and food are often entwined. Like Marcel Proust and his Aunt Léonie and her lime blossom madeleines, Korean-Australian artist Joungmee Do’s memories are closely linked to the food she ate as a child. She explores her own personal memories … Continue reading
These ramekins were mass produced by Martin Boyd Potteries, a company established in 1946 by Guy Martin Boyd (a member of Australia’s artistic/literary Boyd family) and Norma Flegg. When new, the ramekins were valued for their fresh appearance and solid … Continue reading
Frame, wheels, pedals, seat: the formula for a making a bicycle has remained relatively steady throughout time. Sequins, dog house, golden leaf, bamboo: these are just a few examples of the immense diversity of material components and varied compositions of this creation which have resulted in some very obscure and often peculiar designs of this enduring invention.
2012 AUSTRALIAN INTERNATIONAL DESIGN AWARDS: The search is on for the best design in the world. An open invitation welcomes entries of professionally designed products and services into Australia’s most esteemed design award. Entries open 1 February 2012. Continue reading
Be it a pop-up cinema in Hackney, East London, a newspaper’s foray into iPad apps or a wind-propelled Landmine Detonator which cost $40 to produce; the list of Designs of the Year 2012 from the Design Museum, London highlights a refreshing diversity of global design talent. Continue reading
Adrian Franklin’s new book, published in association with the Powerhouse Museum, is a guide to mid-twentieth century design. In this extract he looks at the humble coffee table. If there is one item of furniture that is completely modern, it … Continue reading
Turning their noses up to ‘good taste’, mashing up art deco, kitsch and pop art, the Memphis Group had a radical attitude and an undeniable impact on design internationally when it emerged more than 30 years ago.
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In this interview, Joan-Maree Hargreaves speaks to Henry Wilson about his interest in imitation, ethical design and the design process that guides him. Continue reading
Dave Foster is a type disciple. He spends most of his days studying under the tutelage of some of the greatest living typographers of our age.
Foster is the 2011 recipient of the Design NSW: Travelling Scholarship offered each year by the NSW Government, with the support of the Powerhouse Museum and the British Council. Continue reading
This year’s Sydney Design has come to a close, connecting people and creating meaningful dialogue around design issues.
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As Sydney experiences the onset of the ‘Korean Wave’ in 2011, Joanna Bayndrian considers what exactly sets Korean design apart. Continue reading
Founder of Black Star Pastry, Chris Thé, invited a group of emerging local designers to create a collection of bespoke eating implements. Continue reading
A really enjoyable part of my job as producer of the Craft Punk programs at the Powerhouse Museum is finding young designers who can adapt their creative ideas to designing projects around a particular theme. These projects are then offered to … Continue reading
Globalisation presents enormous challenges within our society. As businesses pursue worldwide success, economies and industries are becoming increasingly competitive. Noticeably, within this global environment, culture and creativity are taking the toll, with globalisation directly threatening individuality, and creative industries and communities all over the world demonstrating an increasing lack of originality. Continue reading
ARTERRA is calling for submissions from designers and artists to participate in a residency in Tolenda, Portugal. Continue reading
Beating a highly competitive field of 150 applicants, four brilliant young Australian innovators from the fields of fashion, food farming, medical technology and mechanical engineering have been awarded a combined $60,000 prize pool from the British Council and LRQA (Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance), to make their Big Green Ideas a reality. Continue reading
The winner of the prestigious 2011 Design NSW Travelling scholarship is passionate Sydney-based type designer and font maker, David Foster, who the judges predict will become one of Australia’s foremost typographers and a household name within the design community. Continue reading
In this post-industrial age where fashion designers are developing their own scents and product designers are printing three-dimensional prototypes in moments, the protection of intellectual property is a crucial part of the design process for every maker and designer who wants to safeguard their design or idea. Continue reading
The breadth of work in Love Lace prompts us to re-think ‘lace’ and asks us to consider how we can draw on lace and other decorative textile traditions to enrich our lives. Continue reading
Love Lace: a provocative and inspirational international exhibition of lace at the Powerhouse Museum, from July 2011. Continue reading
Erwan Bouroullec is one half of French industrial design duo, les frères Bouroullec. Since launching his partnership with brother Ronan in 1997, Erwan has undertaken projects with numerous manufacturers, including Vitra, Kvadrat, Magis, Kartell, Established and Sons, Ligne Roset, Axor, Alessi, Issey Miyake, Cappellini and more recently Flos and Mattiazzi. Continue reading
Minimalist furniture designs from the set designer of Gucci Guilty 2010, Moulin Rouge! Australia & The Matrix. Continue reading
Dr Dawn Casey, Director of the Powerhouse, describes the revitalisation project that will take the Museum into an exciting new phase. Continue reading
Now in its ninth year, the London Design Festival programme has grown from 40 events in 2003 to 250 this year. Attracting international designers, contributors, partners, sponsors and audiences, last year 350,000 people attended Festival events and a million people experienced installations in Trafalgar Square and at the Southbank Centre. In this article, Catherine Sidwell talks to Will Knight the festival’s Deputy Director and reports on highlights for September 2011. Continue reading
Prue Gibson discusses the collision between tradition, innovation, heritage and experimentation in this year’s Sydney Design theme- Is old new again’ Continue reading
Sketching the careers of pioneers in the field of Australian design, historian Michael Bogle explores the legacy of the ‘Opal King’ Percy Marks, of Percy Marks Jewellers, Sydney. Continue reading
Love Lace opens at the Powerhouse Museum on July 29, coinciding with the launch of Sydney Design 2011. It features 130 lace works by 134 artists from 20 countries, drawn from finalists of the Powerhouse Museum’s third International Lace Awards. Continue reading
From safety-pin earrings to homemade badges, punk has always embraced the DIY ethic. Indeed, just like lovers of knitting and embroidery they are known for doing it their own way. Continue reading
Including sustainable design content in course projects of a visual art nature can be a very practical strategy for broadening responses. Continue reading
Robert Foster is internationally renowned for his lighting designs and innovative production work with F!NK and Co. His exhibition Strange Planet showed at the Gallery of Australian Design, exploring the boundaries between lighting and sculpture and showing the fruition of his latest research and development project. Continue reading
Designer 6×6 is simple. We interview 6 designers in 6 minutes each – delving into the quirky, the unknown, the understated and the oh-so unbelieveable personal habits, interests, thoughts and idiosyncracies of Australian and International designers. Continue reading
Christine Cholewa examines our relationship with nature through image, iconography, glass, stencilling and sandblasting. Machines in the Garden investigates the way in which machines have altered the way we eat and have influenced our dis/connection with food. Continue reading
Design NSW Travelling Scholarship 2010 winner – Liesl Hazelton – talks about the scholarship and how it has affected her professional practice. Continue reading
Would you like $18,000 to boost your design career’ Continue reading
What does a chair symbolise’ Does it evoke thoughts and emotions’ Does it represent a time in your life’ Or is it simply just another object’ Continue reading