Maison&Objet 2015

DCCoI / Maison et Objet / January 2015
Client: Design & Crafts Council of Ireland
Role: Curator & Exhibition Designer

Overview

Evolving out of the design and curation of Weathering, 'DCCoI at Maison et Objet' presented for the first time ever the work of contemporary Irish designers and makers in an Irish pavilion at ‪Maison et Objet.

The exhibition marked the first in a series of international presentations of Irish design as part of the Year of Irish Design 2015.

Weathering - Exhibition Text

Weathering, and the stripping back of excess, can be seen as the slow process makers undergo to unearth and express an object’s essence, revealing its true potential and natural beauty. Each revelation is a development in the story that emerges from the initial exchanges between maker, object, material and landscape.

Irish craft, by virtue of its quality, is durable and usable. Over time, the user can develop a fuller appreciation and understanding of the object. In many cases, the actual colours and shapes of the objects change, moulding themselves to their user, while the user adapts their habits to the object.

The exhibition design for Weathering investigates layering in terms of use. The linen screens, which add an element of discovery while allowing for smaller curated groups, have been constructed out of screen-printing frames, intended to be reused as such in the future. The understated plinths, simply slotted together, can be easily disassembled, transported and stored, ready for subsequent use.

The ambition behind the design of Weathering is to create an exhibition which, like the objects it contains, will evolve over time and have lasting value. It promotes design that fulfils the requirements of the present, while considering how it can meaningfully contribute to the future.

Steven McNamara
Curator & Exhibition Designer

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