“Fringe Furniture has been part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival for 27 years,” notes Emma Mayall, Fringe’s Creative Producer. “It’s a core part of the festival. We’ve had double the entries this year, from 50 in 2012 to around 90.” Fringe Furniture, an annual showcase for new works in art, furniture and design, is one of the stand-alone events that form part of the Creative Program of Melbourne Fringe. “Melbourne design is very strong,” continues Mayall. “The Australian design community is pretty significant overall, here and internationally, with incredible designers. Marc Newson, although he’s from Sydney, is now designing interiors for private jets. Really good design is something that everyone can recognize and you get such beautiful, resolved pieces in Fringe Furniture.”
This year the designers in Fringe Furniture are responding to the idea of ‘Make It True’. “I’m very excited,” says Mayall. Fringe Furniture, in keeping with the ethos of Melbourne Fringe, is an open access event and covers all aspects of interior design. Over the years Fringe Furniture has been tailored to create opportunities for new artists – previous initiatives have included the establishment of residencies, mentorship programmes, designer development programs as well as the annual Awards. The non-curatorial foundation of Fringe Furniture means that emerging designers get to exhibit and engage in dialogue with more experienced and established practitioners. Careers have been launched at Fringe Furniture, an important event in Melbourne’s design calendar. Designers from various disciplines are invited to submit work; everyone gets a chance to display their creations with participants returning year after year to be involved in various ways in a showcase of a vast cross-section of local talent.
Fringe Furniture event was held at the Abbotsford Convent for the first time last year, in intriguing spaces that Mayall sees as the ideal place to show off Melbourne’s emerging design talent. “There are two sites at the convent, the Sacred Heart Chapel, and the former Industrial School – the oldest surviving building on the Convent grounds – is an enigmatic space, it’s slightly ruinous, falling apart slightly; it has a raw quality which creates a complete dichotomy with the refined design objects on display.” Fringe Furniture looks to be staying at the convent. “Our relationship with the convent is incredibly strong and we hope to build it,” Mayall continues. “It’s a beautiful location. There are a lot of studios, private studio spaces, public forum spaces, public program spaces, sites are used for short-term exhibitions and for theatre with bump-ins and bump-outs happening; over 300 people work here every day …it’s the perfect forum and venue for Fringe Furniture.”
Mayall has only recently come on board the Fringe flotilla as Creative Producer, replacing her predecessor Neil Harvey only six weeks ago. Her role is to deliver the afore-mentioned keynote events. “I’m in delivery mode right now, dealing with the nitty-gritty but I’m still working towards next year’s creative program; once I’m in conceptual mode I’ll think about what might happen next year. Fringe is like an amazing performance, it’s seamless on the outside but backstage is all this running about.” Is there anything in this year’s Fringe Furniture exhibition that Mayall wants to take home with her? “Oh, yes,” she answers.” There are several. With so many of the objects I think, ‘I have to have that’.” She’s not naming any favourites although she will say that there are some incredible lighting designs in this year’s offering.
BY LIZA DEZFOULI
Venue: Abbotsford Convent
Dates: Wednesday-Sunday, 11am-5pm
Tickets: Free. Hit up the Fringe for more information.
