Host Lisa Cahill chats with master metalsmith Johannes Kuhnen. 

Johannes Kuhnen is one of the pioneers of anodised aluminium metalwork. In this episode, Johannes explains why he finds anodising annoying, and his design process.

Hear from judges Jason Smith, Hyeyoung Cho and Brian Parkes on his MAKE Award entry, Remnant Green.

Johannes Kuhnen is one of Australia's most well recognised silversmiths. Johannes' practice has remained at the forefront of innovation, in particular his pioneering use of anodised aluminium. A fascination with the colour options of the aluminium continue to provide inspiration for his work and have also inspired many others to explore such potential.

Guests

• Johannes Kuhnen
• Jason Smith, Director and CEO of Geelong Gallery, Victoria
• Hyeyoung CHO, Chair of the Korea Association of Art and Design, and expert panel member of the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize
• Brian Parkes, CEO at JamFactory, Adelaide, South Australia

Credits

Object is a podcast of the Australian Design Centre and is made on Gadigal Country in Sydney, Australia.

It's hosted by CEO and Artistic Director Lisa Cahill and produced by Jane Curtis, in collaboration with Lisa Cahill. Sound Engineering is by John Jacobs.

Host Lisa Cahill chats with partners in life and work, Csilla Csongvay and Matt Blackwood.

In this episode, Csilla and Matt share the inspirations behind their work, what it takes to enter an award, and how they made a single sculpture from 100 pieces of clay.

Hear from judges Jason Smith, Hyeyoung Cho and Brian Parkes on their work, Walk the Line Version 7.

Guests

• Csilla Csongvay
• Matt Blackwood
• Jason Smith, Director and CEO of Geelong Gallery, Victoria
• Hyeyoung CHO, Chair of the Korea Association of Art and Design, and expert panel member of the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize
• Brian Parkes, CEO at JamFactory, Adelaide, South Australia

Credits

Object is a podcast of the Australian Design Centre and is made on Gadigal Country in Sydney, Australia.

It's hosted by CEO and Artistic Director Lisa Cahill and produced by Jane Curtis, in collaboration with Lisa Cahill. Sound Engineering is by John Jacobs.

Host Lisa Cahill chats with contemporary jeweller Julie Blyfield. Hear how Julie's MAKE Award entry is inspired by love and loss. 

Julie Blyfield is a South Australian artist renowned for her work inspired by collected botanical specimens and forms. Using the traditional metalsmithing techniques of chasing and repoussé, Blyfield makes intricately textured pieces, which capture the essence of the Australian natural landscape.

Award judges Jason Smith, Hyeyoung Cho and Brian Parkes share their thoughts on Julie’s work Memento Vivere (Remember to live).

Episode photo by Grant Hancock.

Guests

• Julie Blyfield, contemporary jeweller
• Jason Smith, Director and CEO of Geelong Gallery, Victoria
• Hyeyoung CHO, Chair of the Korea Association of Art and Design, and expert panel member of the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize
• Brian Parkes, CEO at JamFactory, Adelaide, South Australia

Credits

Object is a podcast of the Australian Design Centre and is made on Gadigal Country in Sydney, Australia.

It's hosted by CEO and Artistic Director Lisa Cahill and produced by Jane Curtis, in collaboration with Lisa Cahill. Sound Engineering is by John Jacobs.

Meet clothing designers High Tea With Mrs Woo.

Rowena, Angela and Juliana Foong are three sisters who run a clothing label that focuses on sustainability and ethical production and who collaborate on design, making, mending and more. 

In this episode, you'll hear comments from MAKE Award judges Jason Smith, Hyeyoung Cho and Brian Parkes.

And find out, Who is Mrs Woo? What are the innovative ideas behind their work Resilience Coat?

High Tea with Mrs Woo is a sustainable fashion practice, crafting clothes and accessories for modern thoughtful living. Their work features natural fibre fabrics, ethically made, through circular design.

Credits

Object is a podcast of the Australian Design Centre and is made on Gadigal Country in Sydney, Australia.

It's hosted by CEO and Artistic Director Lisa Cahill and produced by Jane Curtis, in collaboration with Lisa Cahill. Sound Engineering is by John Jacobs.

Meet the winner of the Inaugural MAKE Award, ceramic artist Vipoo Srivilasa.

Vipoo tells us about the themes that inspire his work, the process of making the winning piece Diverse Dominion Deities, his strategic approach to the MAKE award, and Vipoo's ongoing charity project 'Clay For'.

Hear comments from judges Jason Smith, Hyeyoung Cho and Brian Parkes on what made this sculpture a prize-winning work. 

About Vipoo Srivilasa

Melbourne-based, Thai-born Australian artist Vipoo Srivilasa creates artwork that is positive, accessible, and beautiful. His practice primarily focuses on ceramics, though he also produces works on paper, mixed-media sculptures, bronze statues, and large-scale public art installations. He often incorporates food and interactive performance into his ceramic projects, creating a unique and immersive experience for viewers.

Guests

• Vipoo Srivilasa, ceramic artist
• Jason Smith, Director and CEO of Geelong Gallery Victoria
• Hyeyoung Cho, Chair of the Korea Association of Art and Design, and expert panel member of the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize
• Brian Parkes, CEO at Jam Factory in Adelaide, South Australia

Credits

Object is a podcast of the Australian Design Centre and is made on Gadigal Country in Sydney, Australia.

It's hosted by CEO and Artistic Director Lisa Cahill and produced by Jane Curtis, in collaboration with Lisa Cahill. Sound Engineering is by John Jacobs.

Image episode photo by Simon Strong.

Series 3 introduces the winner, four finalists and the judges of Australia’s newest and richest award for contemporary craft - the MAKE Award.

This major new national award by us, the Australian Design Centre, celebrates innovation in contemporary craft and design.

Over five episodes you’ll meet winner Vipoo Srivilasa and finalists the Foong Sisters (High Tea with Mrs Woo), Julie Blyfield, Csilla Csongvay and Matt Blackwood (Csongvay Blackwood), and Johannes Kuhnen. 

You’ll hear the stories behind their work, and reflections and comments from the MAKE Award judges.

“An award can establish a career,” Johannes Kuhnen.

Object is a podcast by the Australian Design Centre and is hosted its CEO and Artistic Director, Lisa Cahill.

Produced by Jane Curtis and sound by John Jacobs.

Produced on Gadigal and Wangal Country in Sydney, Australia.

Meet Powerhouse curator Eva Czernis-Ryl and hear

• The skills of a museum curator
• How curators select and interpret objects 
• What makes a work of ceramics suitable for a museum collection?
• The unique history of ceramics collected by the Powerhouse

And hear ceramic artist and former editor of The Australian Journal of Ceramics Vicki Grima on setting up a ‘living bequest’ fund for ceramics.

Eva Czernis-Ryl is an art and design historian and curator of Arts and Design at the Powerhouse in Sydney.

Vicki Grima, OAM, was the editor of The Journal of Australian Ceramics and CEO of the Australian Ceramics Association from 2005 to February 2023. She’s also a practicing ceramic artist.

Object is a podcast of the Australian Design Centre.

We'd like to thank Visions of Australia, the Federal government’s regional exhibition touring program for funding support towards this podcast.

Object is hosted by Lisa Cahill and produced by Jane Curtis, with production support from Alix Fiveash. Sound Engineering is by John Jacobs.

Meet ceramics artist and writer Robyn Phelan and hear:

• What makes a good piece of writing about visual art?
• How she wrote about a Damon Moon exhibition
• How can we get critique back into Australian arts commentary?
• How to use writing in your arts practice, and
• Tips for new arts writers.  

And, hear fine art photographer Greg Piper on

• What makes a good photograph of ceramics?
• How to get the narrative of your work across through a photo, and
• Why you should have your work professionally photographed.

Robyn Phelan is a writer, a ceramics artist and an educator. She writes regularly for The Australian Journal of Ceramics, and her other writing includes exhibition text and catalogues, reviews and articles.

Robyn’s website https://robynphelan.com.au/ and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/robynphelan/

Greg Piper is a fine art photographer and "passionate image maker to the arts community". His work includes artist portraits, exhibitions and publications.

Greg's Instagram https://www.instagram.com/blinkneye/

Object is hosted by the Australian Design Centre CEO and Artistic Director Lisa Cahill. It's produced by Jane Curtis with production support by Alix Fiveash. Sound engineering by John Jacobs.

Thanks to Visions of Australia, the Federal government’s regional exhibition touring program for funding support towards this podcast.

What are the many ways to learn ceramics? How do you find your own sense of touch with clay?

If you’re thinking about a hobby class or applying for a university or TAFE course, what’s good to know?

Hear different approaches on teaching with clay, including from a Japanese production pottery, and a wishlist for the future of ceramics education in Australia. What’s on your list?

Guests

• Jane Sawyer, founder and teacher at Slow Clay Melbourne
• Julie Bartholomew, former Head of Ceramics at ANU and ceramics artist

How do you start a ceramics collection?

Tips on collecting for beginners, how to collect from galleries, how to make a collecting group and how to administer and document your collection.

The guests are Brett Stone, artist, art dealer and founding director of Claypool communal pottery studios; Jane Sawyer, founder and teacher at Slow Clay Melbourne; and Jenna Price and John Kavanagh, ceramics collectors.

Hosted by Lisa Cahill, CEO and Artistic Director of the Australian Design Centre.

Produced by Jane Curtis with production support from Alix Fiveash. Sound engineering by John Jacobs.

Ilona Topolcsanyi makes bespoke tableware for some of Australia's most notable chefs. She’s even made plates that world leaders have eaten from, like Barack Obama, Angela Merkel and Xi JinPing.

Hear how Ilona designs and makes by hand large orders of beautiful, hard-wearing and functional tableware. 

Learn how she works with chefs as a problem-solver, figuring out how to make bowls where the sauce sits perfectly.

Ilona and her partner Colin Hopkins run their business Cone 11 in Naam, Melbourne. Their tableware has subtle surfaces that range from shimmering pearly whites to rich encrusted terracottas. 

Some of the restaurants Ilona has created work for include: 

• Dan Hunter: Brae, Birregurra Victoria
• Joel Bickford: Aria, Sydney NSW 
• Josh Lopez: The Wolfe East Brisbane QLD
• Seth James: Wills Domain, Margaret River WA

Guests

• Ilona Topolcsanyi    https://www.cone11.com.au/
• Josh Lopez is the chef and owner of The Wolfe East Brisbane, Queensland https://www.thewolferestaurant.com/
• Dan Hunter is the chef and owner of Brae, Birregurra, Victoria   https://braerestaurant.com/ 

Full Show Notes

Read the highlights and takeaways, and see photos of Ilona's work with Josh Lopez and Dan Hunter on the Show Notes page for this episode on the Australian Design Centre website.

Credits

Object is hosted by Lisa Cahill, with production by Jane Curtis and sound engineering by John Jacobs. It's made with support from Visions of Australia regional touring program.