Craft ink

An innovative series of four articles commissioned by Object: Australian Centre for Craft and Design on behalf of the visual arts board.

The writers - Grace Cochrane, Michael Bogle, Simon Horauf, Martin Kornberger, Johannes Weissenbaeck and Robert Bell - each offer different perspectives on topics ranging from the shifts in the Australian craftscape over the recent decades to a playful look at the nature of cultural exchange.

• Handmade at the heart of things - Grace Cochrane

Within a framework of international tendencies, Grace Cochrane offers an in-depth perspective on the complexities and, at times, contentious shifts in the Australian craft-scape over the past four decades, most critically in the migration from craft-art to craft-design.

• Talent is not enough - Michael Bogle

Respected Australian design historian Michael Bogle offers a broad analysis that traces 40 years of vibrant activity and education, highlights three exceptional designers, and suggests a strong future for design in this country.

• The lucky country: beyond default, settling the cultural nomad - Simon Horauf, Martin Komberger and Johannes Weissenbaeck

As innovative design-thinkers and recent arrivals from Europe, Simon Horauf, Martin Kornberger and Johannes Weissenbaeck take a playful look at the nature of cultural exchange and influence in Australia now.

• Meeting the outside eye: exhibitions, dialogues and training in Australia - Robert Bell

Contemporary craft practice in Australia has been constantly refreshed and enriched by the ideas, skills and experiences of makers from all corners of the globe. Robert Bell traces some of the history of this exchange and considers the impact of particular exhibitions and individuals on the local scene.

Object is one of Australia's most innovative art organisations. It is an establishment that has provided craft and design practitioners with support through exhibitions, retail activities and publications.