Stories in Form

On display will be everyday objects framed in a new way, from dining chairs to lights and bowls. Each of these products by award-winning designers has a story — but it is not just the story of the journey from conception to design and production. The stories speak to the future of the objects, the past of the designer, and the input of the final user.

Elliat Rich presents a series of dining chairs at various stages of life — their story is of their evolving beauty as they interact with the owner.

bernabeifreeman, a collaborative practice consisting of Rina Bernabei and Kelly Freeman, offer lights that give the opportunity for the user to complete the making process.

Henry Wilson, who won the 2011 Bombay Sapphire Design Discovery Award, uses 3D printing to adapt well-known forms, telling of the designer’s creative process.

Metalsmith Cinnamon Lee has crafted lights referencing both history and sustainability, which are closely linked to their manufacture, the story of which is often overlooked but speaks of the craft and the people behind it.

Ben McCarthy’s bowl, not merely decorative, is meant for use, with each scratch and chip marking a moment in time, adjusting the character of the vessel over time. Alongside the bowl will be a film detailing the character changing as it ages.

Stories In Form is in the Main Gallery at Object in Surry Hills from 27 January 2012 to 25 March 2012. Stay tuned to Object Eye for more information, introductions to the artists and overviews of the project.

The four-part storytelling framework used in this exhibition is based on the research of Rina Bernabei and Kelly Freeman from UNSW Built Environment and Jacqueline Power from UTAS . The foundation for this research first emerged in the design practice of bernabeifreeman.