“DENFAIR” is a celebration of the best and brightest in Australia’s contemporary design and art and Canberrans are at the forefront in the current season in Melbourne.

Aimed at professional designers, architects, interior stylists and design-lovers, it has become the connection point where today (June 15) hundreds of local and international brands come together, using “Denfair” as a platform for business growth and opportunity.

With emerging designers in mind, the organisers have put together a showcase called “Front/Centre”, specifically to support and promote new designers. They invited organisations across Australia, like Craft ACT, Craft Victoria and Jam Factory, in association with the Australian Design Centre and Design Object, Tasmania, to present the latest in crafted design from their region.

The idea was to provide an opportunity for designers at the early stages of their career to present commercially viable work and access a business platform while exploring new frontiers.

Canberra’s four shortlist-ees are furniture designer-makers, Christina Bricknell and Jun Rung, as well as industrial designer René Linssen and designer-maker Richilde Flavell.

Bricknell experiments with the “synchronicity” between hard and soft through wood and, Rung, a recent graduate of the Sturt School for Wood, uses minimalistic lines, curves and simple slim forms in his furniture.

Linssen looks at creating products that are both satisfying and aesthetically pleasing and Flavell, under her label, “Girl Nomad Ceramics”, produces hand-formed and glazed works in a collection of whites, greys and auburns.

While the broader “Denfair”, which features works by 160 exhibitors spread over 12,000sqm at South Wharf, is meant to create “fun networking opportunities” for professionals and their clients, a public day will be held tomorrow, Saturday, June 16, where design enthusiasts from the community can come to find favourite products and new brands.

“DENFAIR”, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, South Wharf, Melbourne, (near Southbank) public day, 10am-5pm, Saturday, June 16.

 

 

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