WASTE AGE & THE POWER OF DESIGN
Friday 25 March —
11:00
- 11:45
The Talks — Hall 7
Description
By opening the “Waste Age: what can design do?” exhibition at the Design Museum of London, curator Gemma Curtin puts on display design solutions that allow a variety of industries (food, furnishings, fashion, architecture) to consider waste as a new resource. It’s a fundamental perspective in a time of climate change.
Participants
Brodie NeillDesigner
Gemma CurtinCurator - Design Museum London
Clara Le FortJournalist
Brodie Neill
Designer
For as long as he can remember, Brodie Neill has been inspired by the twinned beauty of nature and mathematics. Growing up in Tasmania, Brodie was surrounded by the landscape’s diverse ecology, leading to a fascination with organic phenomena and an ongoing commitment to respecting raw material. This orientation has coloured every aspect of Brodie’s subsequent practice. A University of Tasmania and Rhode Island School of Design alum, he has blended this appreciation of naturalism with advanced technical rigour, digital innovation and poised mathematical precision across sculpture, furniture and art commissions. Acclaim was instantaneous – with TIME Magazine’s Design 100 ranking his debut collection of furniture designs among the number of ‘the 100 most influential designs’. Brodie represented Australia at the inaugural London Design Biennale in 2016 at Somerset House where he presented the now-iconic Gyro table, addressing the increasingly prevalent issue of ocean plastic waste. Gyro was subsequently acquired by National Gallery of Victoria for its permanent collection and exhibited at the inaugural NGV Triennial. A champion of using design to combat ocean plastic waste, Brodie has spoken at the European Union Parliament and the United Nations, encouraging the entire chain of supply within the design and manufacturing industries to practice greater stewardship of the world around us. Brodie has worked with an impressive roster of clients, collaborating with international brands including Microsoft, Mercedes-Benz, Alexander McQueen and Swarovski. His limited-edition works are included in museums, galleries and private collections across the globe.
Gemma Curtin
Curator - Design Museum London
Gemma Curtin is co-curator of Waste Age - What can design do? Currently showing at the Design Museum until 20 February 2021. This exhibition exposes our 'take, make and waste' economy. It explores how designers are transforming our waste into a valuable resource and the exhibition presents new materials, designs and systems to reduce waste and the impact on our planet. Gemma Curtin is a Curator at the Design Museum where she has curated and co-curated many exhibitions covering contemporary architecture, product design and fashion. These include Ferrari - Under the Skin (2017); Designers in Residence - Identity (2013); Kenneth Grange - Making Britain Modern (2011); John Pawson - Plain Space (2010); David Chipperfield – Form Matters (2009); Industrial Facility (2008) and Manolo Blahnik (2003). She was also curator of Beazley Designs of the Year (2012, 2014, 2015, and 2016). Previously Gemma worked at the National Museum of Wales and the City of Edinburgh Museums.
Clara Le Fort
Journalist
A writer for French and international publications (Les Echos WE, Le Point, ELLE, ELLE DECO, Bllnr), Clara Le Fort deals with subjects related to luxury, innovation and sustainable development. She also works with brands on strategic matters, as a design director. In addition, she has authored five books, published by Gestalten, and has written the Louis Vuitton City Guide for Sydney, Istanbul, Copenhagen and Arles.