Troy Backhouse: Open Studio – Between Idea and Object
Presented by Troy Backhouse
DETAILS
Free, no booking required
Moran & Cato building
12/95 Victoria Street, Fitzroy VIC, Australia
DATES
Sat 16 May 10am – 4pm
Sun 17 May 10am – 3pm
ACCESS
Troy Backhouse presents an open studio event offering a behind-the-scenes look at his evolving design practice. Held within his studio at the Moran and Cato buildings in Fitzroy, the exhibition brings together work spanning more than ten years, tracing the development of ideas from initial sketch through prototype and material investigation.
Combining resolved pieces with works in development, the presentation reveals the challenges, complexities and ongoing negotiations between concept, material and manufacture. Rather than focusing solely on finished outcomes, the open studio highlights experimentation, refinement and the iterative nature of practice.
All works are designed by Troy Backhouse, with the majority produced in collaboration with Australian manufacturers, reflecting a commitment to local industry. A small selection was developed and made in Colombia during an extended period living there, created in collaboration with local artisans.
Organised into three loose groupings — current and available products; past exhibited and edition pieces; and concepts and in-progress works — the exhibition offers an overview of the studio’s approach and its evolution over time.
Participants
Troy Backhouse
Troy Backhouse is an interdisciplinary designer based in Melbourne/Naarm, working across furniture, lighting and product design. His studio explores materiality, form and concept through a broad range of outcomes developed in collaboration with manufacturers and artisans.Troy began his career with a traditional signwriting apprenticeship, which led to work in London with clients including Harrods, Belgos and the British Museum. He holds a Bachelor of Multi-Discipline Design from Monash University, during which he undertook a Master Class with Tom Kovac at the Powerhouse Museum and studied in Prato, Italy, where he refined his focus on three-dimensional design.
His work is informed by diverse cultural and conceptual references and is characterised by experimentation with materials and techniques.