Catherine Griffiths: Provocations and Poetics

This public lecture is presented as part of the exhibition Catherine Griffiths: Out of Line, the largest presentation of her work in Australia to date. 

Join us for a public lecture with internationally recognised designer and artist, Catherine Griffiths, who will delve into the provocations and poetics of an expanded socially-engaged interdisciplinary practice. 

For four decades, Griffiths has examined the potentials of language, form, and public space, working across graphic design, typography, sculpture, and site-specific installation. Her work reconfigures typographic context and meaning through word-play, shifts in scale, and the immersive experience, altering not only how we perceive but also interact with language from the concrete to the abstract. 

In this lecture, Griffiths will discuss her process in working typographically, from time-based media to printed matter, spatial interventions to sound pieces, reflecting on how these elements shape public engagement and dialogue. 

The exhibition Catherine Griffiths: Out of Line will be on display in the The Design Gallery, Glyn Davis Building (MSD), Masson Road, Parkville, from Monday 19 May to Friday 6 June.
Learn more: Catherine Griffiths: Out of Line

Catherine Griffiths: Out of Line is curated by Ela Egidy and Megan Patty and presented by the Melbourne School of Design, with the support of the Melbourne Art Book Fair and the Victorian College of the Arts, Faculty of Fine Arts and Music at the University of Melbourne. 

Experience design as a force for connection and storytelling in this engaging series. Hosted by the Faculty of Fine Arts and Music and the Melbourne School of Design at the University of Melbourne, these events and exhibitions celebrate creative innovation in design and its impact on place and community.

Registration

Tickets for this public lecture are free but registration are required via Humanitix.

Venue

This public lecture takes place in the Kenneth Myer Auditorium, located on the ground floor of the Ian Potter Southbank Centre. Please meet front of house in the ground floor foyer via the sliding doors on Sturt Street, Southbank.

Arrival time

Please note that in order to account for drop-off in attendance, we overbook a select number of free events at the Faculty of Fine Arts and Music. If you have not arrived by the start of the event, your ticket may be released to any waiting patrons at the door. Please arrive at the venue at least 15 minutes before the event to secure your seat.

PARKING

The City of Melbourne has recently changed the parking restrictions around the Southbank Campus. Parking control hours are now expanded to 7am–10pm, seven days per week, and are capped at three hours. A $2-per-hour fee after 7pm is also now in place. There is no change to the $4-per-hour peak rate between 7am–7pm. Parking inspectors are regularly in the area fining drivers who overstay their meter, so we encourage everyone to be aware and avoid an expensive fine. More information. 

ACCESSIBILITY

All venues at the Southbank campus are wheelchair accessible. To read more about access services available at our venues, please visit:  https://finearts-music.unimelb.edu.au/access-our-events.  

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

• Please stay home if you feel unwell, even with mild symptoms. Face masks are welcome in all settings for community and personal safety.  
• In order to account for drop-off in attendance, we overbook a select number of free events at the Faculty. If you have not arrived by the start of the performance, your ticket may be released to any waiting patrons at the door. Please arrive at the venue at least 15 minutes before the performance to secure your seat.  
• Admission to any of our concerts and events is strictly at the discretion of Front of House. We have zero tolerance for any disrespectful behaviour.

Image: Catherine Griffiths, Iterations/Alterations (2025) detail. Photo: Jinki Cambronero