MDW | Lines of Force

Presented by Ash Allen.

This exhibition pays homage to the iconic work of three female design luminaries — Simone LeAmon, Helen Kontouris and Laura McCusker.

Ash Allen has recreated, in steel weldmesh, a piece from each of their portfolios and presents the narrative behind each work.

Participants

Simone LeAmon
Simone LeAmon began her career in the studio, designing and making objects. Over more than three decades, her practice has expanded to advancing the discipline itself. From 2015 to 2025, as the inaugural Hugh D.T. Williamson Curator of Contemporary Design and Architecture at the National Gallery of Victoria, she co-established Australia’s first dedicated curatorial department for contemporary design and architecture. In 2026, LeAmon was appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Design Institute of Australia, bringing three decades of independent design practice, curatorial leadership and advocacy to the country’s peak body for design professionals. As a designer, LeAmon has co-founded two design studios, n+1 equals interdisciplinary studio, 1998–2003 and Simone LeAmon Design and Creative Strategy, 2003–2015, producing both commercial and cultural production, including object and furniture design, interiors, contemporary jewellery and speculative design. In 2009, she received the Cicely and Colin Rigg Contemporary Design Award at the National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne. Key projects include the crescent design for the Australian Islamic Centre in Hobsons Bay, Melbourne, lighting products for Rakumba, lift car interiors for the Juilliard Group, and the Bowling Arm bangles, sold internationally. From 2007 to 2010, she was Creative Director of Australian manufacturer Planex. Her work has been exhibited in numerous solo and group exhibitions, including Unexpected Pleasures, Design Museum London (2012); Freestyle: New Australian Design for Living, Triennale di Milano (2008); Anytime Soon, 1000 Eventi Milano (2005); and Quiet Collision, Viafarini Gallery Milano and MOTO Showroom, Gertrude Contemporary Arts Spaces, Melbourne (2003). LeAmon holds a Bachelor of Fine Art in Sculpture from the Victorian College of the Arts, University of Melbourne, and a Master of Design in Industrial Design from RMIT University. She is an Adjunct Professor in the School of Design and Social Context at RMIT University and a recipient of the 2021 Good Design Australia Women in Design Award for her dedication to Australian design, as well as the Design Luminary Award (Honorary Recipient) at the INDE Awards, Indesign Media Asia Pacific, Sydney, in 2023, and the Design Ambassador Award at the Design Anthology Awards, Singapore, in 2024. Whether designing a chair or shaping a national agenda, LeAmon’s work is guided by a clear proposition. Design is infrastructure for how we live, relate and imagine what comes next. Her career is dedicated to championing the cultural value and utility of design and its capacity to deliver meaningful outcomes for people, place and the planet.

Helen Kontouris
Helen Kontouris is a local designer whose work explores the relationship between object movement and the rituals of contemporary living. Her practice is defined by ease, proportion, and a sensitivity to how design inhabits space, allowing presence to emerge naturally. Rather than pursuing novelty, she is drawn to permanence: forms that feel inevitable, materials that age with grace, and objects that remain relevant across contexts and time. Every curve, detail, and proportion is considered, allowing craftsmanship and material intelligence to emerge through use. Helen designs objects for living – considered, enduring and expressive.

Laura McCusker
Laura McCusker is an award-winning furniture designer and maker based in Hobart, with professional practice spanning over twenty-five years. Blending clean aesthetics, mid-century influences and subtle nods to her Brazilian heritage with Brutalist undertones, Laura’s approach to tackling complex commissions has led to growing demand for her work. By merging traditional materials, techniques and craftsmanship with contemporary design, she creates distinctive pieces with a strong sense of authenticity and provenance.

Ash Allen
Ash Allen is an artistic engineer with a passion for furniture design and history. He has exhibited his award-winning furniture both locally and overseas and won the Clarence prize last year with his Beanless bag.