Artisan goes Steampunk

What:       The Antipodean Steampunk Show
Where:    Gallery artisan, 381 Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley
When:      Friday 26 October - Saturday 15 December
  
After what feels like an eternity of waiting, it's finally the opening week of The Antipodean Steampunk Show, our biggest and final exhibition for the year.

The exhibition will launch this Thursday evening, and will be open to the public from Friday.

So, what is Steampunk?

Born in literature in the 1980s in response to the sci-fi ‘Cyberpunk’ genre, 'Steampunk' merged Victorian styling with contemporary technology and invention to create a genre so visually rich, it soon transcended the page.

These days, the influence of Steampunk can be found in film and fashion, as well as in the workshops of scores of hobbyist tinkerers and professional artists alike. 

The Steampunk movement rails against the modern obsession with upgrade and improvement by using elaborate craftsmanship to transform mass produced - and easily discarded - contemporary products into unique objects of desire.

Even if this is the first time you have heard the word 'Steampunk', you have probably seen its influence in films such as Sherlock Holmes, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, The Golden Compass, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Stardust, Hellboy, and The Illusionist to name a few.

The Antipodean Steampunk Show is bursting at the seams with fantastical items such as ray guns, tea bag jigglers, time machines, jewellery, rocket packs, and even a Victoriana peepshow. 

To attend Thursday night's opening event, please RSVP to info@artisan.org.au. Otherwise, we hope to see you at the gallery during the duration of the exhibition!

 

New exhibition - Long Play: The Glory Days of the 12" Album Cover

We've been busy little bees in the gallery this week removing the Reboot displays and installing Long Play: The Glory Days of the 12" Album Cover.

The new exhibition is coming together beautifully and everything is looking fantastic for opening night tomorrow from 6pm.

Long Play is a graphic design exhibition focusing on album cover design from circa 1950 to the late 1980s. Over 150 records will be on display and most of them will also be for sale so get in quick to nab your favourite!

The exhibition includes covers by famous artists, interactive covers, and controversial covers, including the banned original 'butcher's shop' cover for the Beatles Yesterday and Today.

Along with Long Play, tomorrow night will also see the launch of Sherrie Knipe's Waterlogged in Gallery Two, new Window Projects by QUT design students, the Ivory Street installation by Shin Koyama, new product Bio Bin by Alison Schutt (Haasch) and bureau^proberts, and retail feature designer Joost Bakker's 'By Joost' homewares range.

Reboot: Olympic Fever

The Olympic Games have people in Australia and all over the world glued to their computers, television sets, and radios.

If you've contracted Olympic fever, a visit to Reboot: Function, Fashion and the Sneaker will be well worth your while...

Olympic Technology

 

Olympic footwear is the ultimate in state of the art performance. These shoes are designed
by specialist teams with expertise not only in industrial or product design, but mechanical
engineering, physiology, bio–mechanical and sports engineering and sports medicine.
The shoes are developed and tested in top secret high–tech biomechanics laboratories,
many of which are dedicated to producing the perfect running shoe.

Are you an Olympics devotee? Reboot is showcasing some of the most cutting edge sports technology from the Olympic Games in Sydney, Athens, Beijing, and London, including running spikes, boxing shoes, and sailing shoes. Features in the show are replicas of Usain Bolt's gold medal-winning sprinting shoes.

The Birth of Modern Sport

The infamous feud between German brothers Adolf (Adi) and Rudolf Dassler, known as the 'Sneaker Wars', resulted in the formation of shoe giants PUMA and Adidas. It also changed the face of sport forever, turning it from an amateur past-time into a multi-million dollar industry.

Adi and Rudolf formed shoe company Gebruder Dassler in 1924. The company quickly grew in profile and sprinter Jesse Owens was wearing Gebruder Dassler spikes during his four gold medal wins at the 1936 Olympics.

During WWII, underlying friction between the brothers exploded and the two became sworn enemies, with Adi starting Adidas and Rudolf starting PUMA. The family feud divided the brothers' home town of Herzogenaurach and soon each company had its own soccer team, and employees drank in different pubs and sent their children to different schools.

The Sneaker Wars were continued into the next generation by the brothers' sons, Horst and Armin Dassler. After the first major battleground, the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, each subsequent Olympics saw the brand battle intensify.

While other brands such as Onitsuka Tiger, Mizuno, Converse, Reebok, and Nike have since joined the battle, it was the fierce competition between adidas and PUMA that catapulted sport (and the humble athletic shoe) into the institution it is today.

You can read all the juicy details of the Dassler Sneaker Wars at the Reboot exhibition, as well as see the evolution that the humble sneakers has undergone over the years. 

Reboot: Function, Fashion and the Sneaker

Reboot will finish wrap up on 16 August, which only gives you a few more days to take a look. Whether your cup of tea is the Olympic element, fashion collaborations, or the Converse Blank Canvas Project, make sure you put it in your diary. See you soon!

Reboot feature: the 2011 NIKE MAG

In September 2011, Nike released a very special limited edition shoe. Only 1500 pairs were released for public purchase. The shoe was the Nike Mag, a replica of the one made famous in 1989's Back to the Future Part II. 

The 1500 pairs were sold by eBay auction and raised over $4 million, which went to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research.

In the movie, the shoes were worn by Marty McFly in the way-off future of...2015. These ones might be a few years early, but we're glad they landed in time for Reboot: Function, Fashion and the Sneaker. 

You can visit them at the artisan gallery until August 16. Here they are taking a spin on opening night.

Photographs and video taken by Leon Fitzpatrick.

Reboot: Function, Fashion and the Sneaker

Our upcoming exhibition, Reboot: Function, Fashion and the Sneaker, is currently being installed in the gallery. Join our Facebook event here.

Design, fashion and popular culture merge in this striking sports shoe design exhibition, curated by artisan. Olympic performance shoes rub heels with collaborations between iconic brands, artists and designers including Jean-Michel Basquiat, Andy Warhol, Yohji Yamamoto, Keith Haring, Mihara Yasuhiro, Undefeated and Alexander McQueen.

This exhibition also incorporates the Converse Blank Canvas Project: a collection of classic Chuck Taylor All Star sneakers creatively customised by leading Australian artists and designers. The customised shoes are to be sold by auction during the exhibition period.

To set the scene, the walls of the artisan gallery are currently being graffitied by artists from Jugglers Art Space and are looking quite spectacular! 

The exhibition will be opened by Chris Hartley (of the Queensland Bulls) at 6pm on Thursday the  21st of June. If you would like to attend, please RSVP to info@artisan.org.au or call us on (07) 3215 0800.

The countdown is on...

We have a feeling that if you've ever loved a pair of sneakers, you're going to love our upcoming exhibition. Watch this space for more details in the next few days.

Reboot is on its way!

Adidas and Jeremy Scott - 'Panda Bear'

 

Artisan is 'best of the web'!

We are feeling quite chuffed to have been featured on Pocketchange's 'best of the web' feature. Click the button below to see us in all our glory.

PocketChange Lifestyle Blog

Pocketchange is a great blog to visit for shopping/lifestyle advice, and also has a very handy tips page.

Thank you to all our visitors for your continued support!

Brisbane Indesign at Gallery artisan

On Saturday 26 May, the Indesign conference hit Brisbane with a bang.

Attendees dropped by the gallery to see artist talks by Leo Yip and Steve Barry (Ellaspede), Stuart Tiainen (Commex), and designer Fukutoshi Ueno. The artisan team also sampled a few other Indesign tidbits throughout the day -see photographs from the day's adventures below!

All photographs taken by Andrea Higgins for artisan.

Steve Barry and Leo Yip of Ellaspede presenting their custom motorcycles and apparel.

Indesign guests at the artisan store.

artisan visiting Luxxbox at Indesign.

artisan visiting Space Furniture at Indesign.

artisan visiting Luxxbox at Indesign.

Norman Johnson with artisan's Liana Heath.

Steelcase consultant Matt Jeffers at Indesign.

Alexander Lotersztain and artisan's Liana Heath at Stylecraft.

Christina Waterson designs at Indesign.

Artisan visiting Christina Waterson at Indesign.

The artisan team with Christina Waterson.

Designer Fukutoshi Ueno and Stuart Tiainen of Commex discussing the making of the Bambi Frame Screens.

Indesign guests taking in the artist talks at Gallery artisan.

Social news: Chinese delegation visits Gallery artisan

On Wednesday afternoon, artisan hosted a fantastic gallery event for a delegation of 26 representatives from the China Arts & Crafts Association, the official body for arts & crafts in China.

The event was designed for the Chinese delegation to view artisan's current exhibitions and other local works for potential exhibition in China. Attendees also relished the opportunity to increase their understanding of arts programs in China and strengthen the relationship between Chinese and Australian arts & crafts.

Artists Joanna Bone (glass works), Cathy Keys (ceramicist), and Matt Dwyer (jeweller) gave talks and the delegation members were presented with artist sample bags, catalogues from our exhibition Desert Psychedelic: Jimmy Pike, and other takeaway arts & crafts goodies. A great time was had by all and thanks go out to everybody who attended and helped to make the afternoon such a success. The photographs below were taken during the event by artisan's Melinda Gagen.

Artisan CEO Liana Heath addresses guests along with Mr Wang Chen and translator Ms Jing Chen.

Jeweller Matt Dwyer during the artist talks.

Mr Wang Chen, Liana Heath, & Ms Jing Chen

Chinese ceramicist 'Mr Joe', Mr Wang Chen, & ceramicist Cathy Keys

Liana Heath, Cathy Keys, & Mr Joe admire The Long Tide artworks

Liana Heath & Mr Joe