The National Gallery of Victoria have announced the finalists competing in the 2024 Australian Furniture Design Award for a $20,000 prize and product development collaboration with Stylecraft.
After entries closed on October 18, 2023, the five shortlisted contenders have been named: Bala Ga’ Lili (the practice of Bonhula Yunupingu and Damien Wright), Marta Figueiredo, Michael Gittings, Nae Tanakorn, and collaborative duo supermanoeuvre and Tomkins Design.
Since 2015, the biennial award has provided an opportunity for design practitioners to submit new and original furniture or lighting design concepts. The award seeks to recognize outstanding design, critical and creative thinking, sustainability, material development and research that explores innovative production processes. Director of the National Gallery of Victoria, Tony Ellwood, said, “This award celebrates the incredible creativity and innovation empowering this design discipline, as well as its contribution to design discourse and Australian culture.”
Standing place from the Other places series by Elliat Rich, winner of the 2017 Australian Furniture Design Award.
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elliat rich
The competition runs in two stages, which began with an open call for design submissions and information on the entrant’s professional practice. The shortlisted finalists now proceed to stage two, to present their realized designs for exhibition and judging at the Stylecraft showroom during Melbourne Design Week 2024.
The award offers generous financial support to its shortlisted and winning designers. All shortlisted entrants will receive an honorarium of $2,000 to assist with the realization of their design for exhibition. The winning designer will receive a cash prize of $20,000 and an invitation to develop a commercial range or product in collaboration with Stylecraft.
Stylecraft’s CEO, Anthony Collins, said: “For 70 years, Stylecraft has been guided by the principle of active collaboration with the global and Australian design community. The Australian Furniture Design Award is unique in the national design landscape for its combination of recognition, professional development, financial support and very importantly, a commercial opportunity for an Australian designer. We are excited to build upon the legacy of this important award, founded by Stylecraft and the Jam Factory, in 2015.”
The 2024 Australian Furniture Design Award jury comprises Ewan McEoin, senior curator of contemporary art, design and architecture at the NGV (Chair); Tony Russell, brand director at Stylecraft, Melbourne; Anne-Claire Petre, founder of Anaca Studio, Melbourne; Hamish Guthrie co-director of Hecker Guthrie, Melbourne, and Elliat Rich, Alice Springs-based designer and 2017 AFDA winner. The 2024 competition advisor is Simone LeAmon, curator of contemporary design and architecture at the NGV.
Source: Architecture - architectureau
