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Fables & Folklore by Simone Haag at Craft Victoria
For millennia, stories have been the vehicles that humans depend upon to while away the hours, hide truths, soften, reassure, explain, warn, and scare. Sometimes, their narratives contain the keys that open doors to different rooms, different worlds not yet known, not yet understood—worlds brought to life through fables and folklore. Stepping into Craft’s current exhibition, Fables & Folklore, curated by Simone Haag, is like walking through said door, entering a portal that reveals how today’s modern creatives have taken up the mantle of storytellers to help make sense of the world.
In its dedication to showcasing works shaped by the shared human impulse to create, Craft has established a new exhibition series, Visionaries, of which Fables & Folklore is a part. Marking Simone Haag’s curatorial debut, the exhibition explores the rich tapestry of folklore, bringing together a diverse collective of 30 Australian makers. “It provides a brand-new lens through which our audience can view the future of craft and design,” says Pip Stevenson, Commerce and Creative Manager at Craft. “Simone Haag has an extraordinary vision – an ability to create beauty and cohesion from many individual parts. We are thrilled to share it with our audience – she has transformed our gallery space and presented over 140 works by Australian artists in ways we would not have imagined, with incredible success.”
Works spanning sculpture, tapestry, furniture design, paintings, ceramics, weaving and lighting design showcase the continual reinterpretation and adaptation of legendary narratives. In its appointment of Simone in this role, Craft Victoria has stated, “Throughout Craft’s longstanding relationship with Simone Haag, we have always admired her unique approach to interior curation and her commitment to showcasing Australian artists for her projects. Simone is known for her ability to unearth new talent – supporting artists' careers is Craft’s primary purpose, and we know how pivotal these kinds of opportunities are in the early stages of an artist’s career. We loved the idea of new artists being offered a platform to showcase their work and to be challenged to produce ambitious new work in a new context.”
Channelling lore’s significance in relaying messages, each object expands the stories of its conception to reflect timeless wisdom. The theatre of their telling is emphasised in an immersive approach to curation where the overlapping and layered composition of works cultivates an enlightening engagement with contemporary discourse. The fusion of traditional tales with modern contexts, technological innovations, and social conversations underscores the ongoing significance of storytelling as a means of understanding ourselves and our place in the world.
“The engagement between artists and the world of architecture and design is so important in Australia’s creative landscape,” says Pip. “It’s rewarding to see leading designers and decorators, like Simone, engage so beautifully with Australian artists to support locally-made furniture, lighting and artwork within their projects. Those projects are often published, elevating artist profiles and attracting new opportunities, whether that is interest from new collectors, collaborators or exhibition opportunities. It’s important to recognise the pivotal nature of the relationship with the design world and to promote the positive impact designers can have on the careers of Australian artists.”
Fables & Folklore is currently showing at Craft until 8th January 2025.
Words by Tiffany Jade. Images by Michael Pham.
