Celebrating a landmark 30 years, Fringe Furniture is the longest-running event in the annual Melbourne Fringe Festival and has been part of the festival every year since 1986. The winners of the annual exhibition have been announced, and are on display at Abbotsford Convent until Sunday 2 October 2016.
Established as an experimental playground, that has become a standout exhibition of emerging market-ready design, Fringe Furniture has provided an exciting platform for artists and designers for the last three decades. The breadth of talent and skill that Fringe Furniture attracts can genuinely be considered a barometer for the city’s vibrant and cutting-edge design community.
This year’s theme, Redesign, has encouraged designers to revisit history, separating functional purpose and encouraging impossibility. Many former exhibitors returned for this special anniversary including, Fringe Furniture founder Bruce Filley.
The 2016 Fringe Furniture winners are:
Sustainable Design Award (supported by Banyule City Council)
Anthony Nelson – Fhable [fence house table]
Tait Award for Design Innovation (supported by Tait)
Alexsandra Pontonio – Ondalé
Emerging Designer Award (supported by Craft)
Alison Lyons, Joel Donaldson and Danny Triebert – Kerfiture
The Craftsmanship Award (supported by Handsome & Co.)
Matt Potter – Barkeep
ISM Objects Award for Lighting Innovation (supported by ISM Objects)
Richard Greenacre – Hex Table Lamp
Best Student Design Award (supported by Tongue and Groove)
Ren Crunden-Smith – Babylon
“There’s no doubt Australia’s design culture is in good hands if Fringe Furniture is anything to go by. There’s weird and whacky but mostly beautifully crafted pieces that shows, unsurprisingly, that Melbourne Fringe is once again home to our most interesting thinkers and makers,” says Simon Abraham’s, Creative Director and CEO of Melbourne Fringe.
Audience members who are blind or vision impaired can also experience the exhibition with audio-described tactile tours taking place on 23 and 25 September. There are also artist-led tours at 3.00pm every Sunday throughout the exhibition. Design enthusiasts can also view a selection of works in a pop-up exhibition at Melbourne’s City Square, that is currently on display to 2 October 2016.
Fringe Furniture 30: Redesign
Abbotsford Convent, 1 St Heliers Street, Abbotsford
Exhibition continues to 2 October 2016 (Wednesday to Sunday: 11.00am – 5.00pm)
Free admission
For more information, visit: www.melbournefringe.com.au for details.
Image: Matt Potter – winner of The Craftsmanship Award for Barkeep (supplied)