Craft ACT warmly invites you to join curator Penny Craswell from Speculation Nation: Making Utopia and Peter Bollington and Lisa Cahill from CO: LAB for two wonderful exhibition talks.

12pm - 1pm | Speculation Nation: Making Utopia

18 May - 1 July 2023

Curator | Penny Craswell

Bic Tieu | Emma Peters | Kim Johnston | Dennis Golding | Kyoko Hashimoto | Melinda Young | Soraya Abidin

The year is 2050 and Australia is a diverse, inclusive and multi-cultural society with an abiding respect for First Nations voices, and sustained action on climate change. Speculation Nation: Making Utopia presents the work of seven artists whose works ruminate on an Antipodean utopia, with themes including: the empowerment of First Nations people, the expression of multi-cultural identities, the power of bushfires to inspire action on climate change, and the transformation of waste into precious material. Artists working across textiles, jewellery and timber explore issues that resonate with their own lived experience and illuminate a possible future. Curated by Sydney writer Penny Craswell.

1pm - 2pm | 2022 CO:LAB

18 May - 1 July 2023

Lisa Cahill | Peter Bollington

CO: LAB is a culmination of a year-long Craft ACT professional development and exchange program that forges new directions in the creative industries.

Artists' Lisa Cahill and Peter Bollington were selected and have worked with an architect and their clients to develop a new range of lighting pieces for a residential project in Canberra. Embracing the spirit of collaboration, these makers have worked across disciplines and have gained exposure to commercial environments with other designers and clients.

During the project, Cahill and Bollington received professional support including sustainability advice, mentoring and technical support.

Image: 5 Foot Photography