Design Fringe honours the legacy of the last thirty five years of the Melbourne Fringe Furniture program by celebrating the changing face of design and the work of ambitious new design leaders.
Blind Sports & Recreation Victoria were lucky enough to receive a warm invite from Nilgun Guven, CEO of Vitae Veritas, to attend this year’s Furniture Tactile Tour as part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival.
On the 5th of October, nine participants with vision loss were picked up in a free shuttle bus and taken to the beautiful Linden New Art Gallery and Carlisle Art Space in St Kilda. There, gallery managers, volunteers and exhibiting artists, greeted the group and thoughtfully guided them around the spaces.
Reactions to the art works were many and varied, as some recoiled from the sensation of steal-wool-sponge chairs and others laughed at stools made from socks.
A particular highlight was an intricately woven jacket made out of mother-of-pearl shells and native grasses.
Participant, Janene, said “Thanks again for being such a fabulous guide and for showing me all that fantastic creativity in the furniture. I enjoyed meeting some new people and thank you again for organising such a great day out. I was so pleased I could come.”
