Contemporary cultural precinct HOTA, Home of the Arts on the Gold Coast has commissioned 20 Australian artists to present new work as part of the inaugural exhibition program for its new Gallery opening in April 2021. Both established and emerging artists have been selected who have strong connections to the Gold Coast and will be commissioned to create new works that reflect the diversity of the region. The project marks the largest presentation of new works by Gold Coast artists undertaken by HOTA. Artists including Hiromi Tango, Michael Candy, Samuel Leighton-Dore and Libby Harwood will create artwork for the $60.5million new HOTA Gallery including sculpture, weaving, textiles, ceramics, performance, painting, photography, video, and installation works.

Image: Hiromi Tango Photography by Greg Piper

Craft ACT: Craft + Design Centre and acclaimed Italian design consulting studio Mr.Lawrence, together with 1+1 Design Gallery, Milan, will present the collective exhibition GLASS UTOPIA as part of the international Venice Glass Week from 3 until 26 September 2020.

A signature exhibition for DESIGN Canberra Festival 2019, the GLASS UTOPIA was curated by Mr.Lawrence co-founders Annalisa Rosso and Francesco Mainardi for Craft ACT: Craft + Design Centre and presents a selection of 24 contemporary pieces by 12 leading Italian and Australian designers. As a realized utopia, GLASS UTOPIA tells of the new glass Renaissance that blossoms today both locally and internationally, demonstrating how the power of beauty is stronger than ever, and that creativity has no borders.

The exhibition features six Italian designers – in collaboration with many furnaces and companies from the heartland of glass Murano – and six Australian designers including Elizabeth Kelly, Federico Peri, Gala Fernandez, Jenni Kemarre Martiniello, Liam Fleming, Matteo Zorzenoni, Mel Douglas, Peter Bowles, Stories of Italy, Tom Skeehan, Federica Biasi, Zanellato/Bortotto.

Image: Installation view Glass Utopia, Canberra. Photo credit Anthony Basheer

The Powerhouse today unveiled Maton: Australia’s Guitar, the largest retrospective of Australia’s leading guitar manufacturer Maton.

Melbourne-born jazz musician, woodwork teacher and luthier Bill May founded Maton in 1946 and became a pioneer of Australian guitar manufacturing. Starting in a small workshop in May’s garage, Maton became a success against the odds, and has since created over 200 guitar models. The manufacturer has gained recognition across Australia and the world for creating instruments of the highest quality.

Australian musicians who play Maton guitars include ARIA award-winning artists Archie Roach AM and Tommy Emmanuel AM, New Zealand-Australian singer-songwriter Keith Urban AO, Australian singer-songwriter Gordi (Sophie Payten), Australian Rock Legend Tex Perkins, former frontman of Men at Work Colin Hay and jazz guitarist George Golla, and Australia’s rock pioneers The Easybeats. International performers have included Elvis Presley, Keith Richards (The Rolling Stones), Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page and the Beatles’ George Harrison, Billy Joe Armstrong (Green Day) and Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age).

Photo credit: Zan Wimberley