MDW Ephemeral Ebb: An Immersive Exhibition on Material Change and Process

Presented as part of Melbourne Design Week, Ephemeral Ebb is a mixed-media exhibition showcasing innovative work by Australian designers exploring material change and process. Gathering furniture, objects, and textile pieces that blend form and function, the exhibition reflects on transience and transformation through eroded surfaces, precarious forms, and material tensions.

Bringing community together to celebrate thoughtful practice, Ephemeral Ebb foregrounds ingenuity and artistry. An assemblage of works by eight designers, harnessing clay, glass, textile, and aluminium, is augmented by sensory elements of taste, scent, and sound, creating a rich, immersive experience. Weaving an otherworldly narrative that evokes both life and decay, the exhibition invites audiences to engage critically and creatively with our relationship to nature and to consider the evolving future of Australian design.

Designers exhibited include:

Annie Paxton, Kayleigh Heydon, Laura de Carteret, Lotte Schwerdtfeger, Matea Gluščević, Nina Wright, Saturday Yard Work, and Sundance Studio.

Kayleigh Heydon will hold a Kirinuku ceramic workshop in the space on Sunday, 17/5/26. Please see her website for details and tickets.

Curated by Amy Marlene Forbes; audio installation by Mara Schwerdtfeger; floral arrangements by Xflos; edible display by Lavinia Kailis; lighting by Tazmyn Slicer; and scent provided by Mihan Aromatics. Sponsored by NEUW.

Drinks are purchasable from the bar. The event is wheelchair accessible. Assistance animals welcome.

Please email (contact host) if you can't afford a ticket and would still like to attend.

If sold out, extra tickets should be available at the venue.

This event is part of Melbourne Design Week 2026, an initiative of the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria.