Craft ACT: Craft + Design Centre: 2005 Annual Report

CURATORIAL PROGRAM AND PROMOTING EMERGING ARTISTS
The Craft ACT Exhibition Program meets key objectives of the Craft ACT Business Plan:
• to promote contemporary craft and design , individual craft and design artists and
Craft ACT;
• to encourage and develop professionalism and excellence in craft and design
practice;
• to encourage a dynamic and responsive climate for the presentation of contemporary
craft and design practice that fosters innovation.
Craft ACT: Craft and Design Centre is an organisation that sets the benchmark for professional
contemporary craft and design presentation in Canberra and beyond. It strives to present a
program that celebrates individual practice, new ideas and technologies and to challenge
perceived ideas of contemporary craft and design through curatorial investigation. The exhibition
program is a response to the Craft ACT business plan and is the flagship of the regions best
contemporary craft and design. The program is enhanced by Craft ACT’s publication program
offering quality informative texts and graphic material to complement each exhibition.
Gallery 1 presented a range of professional exhibitions touching upon a range of media and
concepts. The year began with Craft ACT’s selection for the National Multicultural Festival, Hoop
of the World a ceramic exhibition by American Australian artist Merrill Orr. Craft ACT and Object
Gallery presented the joint project Geometry Rhythm Light: glass and the everyday, curated by
David Sequeira and which toured to Sydney, Canberra and Hong Kong. Gardenesque was
toured to Craft ACT from the Ballarat Fine Art Gallery and reflected upon domestic objects and
nostalgia. Dimensions Variable: Festival of Contemporary Sculpture was an exciting new venture
demonstrating the strength of Canberra’s arts organisations to present a festival of national
significance and recognised the strong position of contemporary craft and design within current
sculpture practice. Ranamok Glass Prize 2005 was launched and the winner announced at Craft
ACT, a first for the organisation. Memories in Place: art in high country huts was a unique
exhibition incorporating major offsite installations and public programs and demonstrated the
value of art and the artist to play a significant role in the reinterpretation of heritage and to
explore environmental issues. Chora, 24:7 Dwell was a highlight of the year as Craft ACT
brought Canadian artist Penelope Stewart to Canberra to take part in the remarkable temporary
public art projects 24:7, initiated by the ACT Government through its agency artsACT. The final
exhibition for the year and always a favourite with Craft ACT audiences and staff was the Craft
for Xmas exhibition of members work.
Gallery 2 emphasized the individual strengths of artists Ian Jones, Alan Swanson, and Gerry
Wedd. Steve Harkin a Craft ACT Accredited Professional Member travelled to Canberra from the
UK where he currently resides to present an exhibition of his handmade bags from a period of
over ten years and which was an extraordinary vision of design and fashion. Alina Jay presented
new work that she created in response to her experience in the Here and There Project, an
international exchange of jewellers between the UK and Australia. Jay’s jewellery work was
created from a meticulous and unique technical process of ceramic slip casting. Madeline Gisz a
graduate of the ANU School of Art Wood Workshop was the recipient of the Australia Council
Mentorship program. She worked with Ben Puglisi at his violin and cello atelier. The Gallery 2
program is made up from individual proposals and Craft ACT programming and in 2005 brought
together a great selection of Craft ACT Accredited Professional Membership, emerging artists
and interstate artists.
Craft ACT provides many further exhibition and presentation opportunities for artists through a
series of specialised showcases. A purpose built showcase, Crucible, at Craft ACT’s entrance,
which was part of a public art design brief to lead audiences into Craft ACT which is located on
the first floor of the North Building has been enjoying more focussed presentations by local
emerging and established artists. The Craft ACT Front Counter is a small and intimate showcase
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