Craft Victoria is one of Melbourne’s most diverse galleries, with its wooden floors extenuating the space and its white walls reflecting the splendour of the works it encases, it is the setting of one of VAMFF’s most stunning cultural showcases.

White Goods explores the materiality and hierarchy of white through the methods of eight interdisciplinary makers, ranging from ceramics, glass to illumination and phosphorescence. The majority of the work on show has been created by Victorians interpreting Curator Debbie Pryor’s brief of the colour white, showcasing the transparency and processes of each maker. There is deep thought and research put into each work, that each maker communicates in an accessible way through mastery of their craft.

We sat down with the Curator of White Goods, Debbie Pryor, to discuss the show and the thought put behind it.

Why is Craft Victoria a part of Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival this year?

Debbie: Craft has an ongoing relationship with VAMFF and we make sure to have content that relates to the festival every year, whether abstract or literal. In 2014, we had Matthew Linde’s A Vouge Idea in the gallery, however with changes to the exhibition process, we chose to have a group exhibition.

White Goods as a whole relates to the world of fashion by way of tactility and wearability. We showcase Eddy Carroll who has used textile techniques to create her eye catching artwork, which demonstrates the malleable ideas of fashion and textile. Katie Jane Britchford, Linda Hughes and Manon van Kouswijk are our three jewellers, who have all produced wearable objects for the show.

Craft also finds it important to be a part of VAMFF to broaden the conversation of the hierarchy and currency of materials. With Manon’s work, the audience is lured into the normality of the display, however what first looks like a precious object is actually a completely different material. This leads to the question “why do people want to wear the objects”? Perhaps, it is the glamour of these pieces, which can offset a simple outfit and can mix expectations of what is fashion.

 What factors have you considered when curating White Goods?

The show has a Victorian focus and consist of makers who all live in Victoria, except Honor Freeman who is from South Australia. Because of the changes in how exhibitions are organised at Craft Victoria, we wanted to show artists who would never be shown together unless they were Craft Victoria members. For example, we wanted to bring together established and emerging artists, so we asked the very established Owen Rye to be a part of the show, along with Honor Freeman, one of Australia’s foremost emerging ceramicists. We also wanted to change the expectations of those visiting us because of VAMFF. From Ebony Addinsall’s glasswork to Kris Coad’s illuminated bone china work, we hoped to expand the breath and width of the types of artwork on show for the audience that would be coming. In the end, I gave them a broad brief solely about the colour white and it was up to the artist to demonstrate their artistry when juxtaposed in a cross discipline showcase.

For more information about the show, click here.

Images provided by Craft Victoria.