There will be more than 20 artworks on display, made by some incredible makers, specialising in sculpture, apparel, lighting, architectural pieces and more. There will be also several artist talks and a panel discussion taking place as part of the event.
We sat down with Jake Shaw to ask him about his work and what he hopes the audience will take away from this exciting and innovative exhibition.
1. Tell us about your work/s being exhibited at IM-PERMANENT.
The Buller Chair is a conceptual work, which utilises furniture as a metaphor to explore memory, impermanence, and the relationship between everyday objects and the material world. Through the chair’s enduring presence, viewers are challenged to consider the tension between permanence and change in their own lives.
2. Many of your works sit somewhere between sculpture and furniture. Are they designed to be used? How comfortable is a chair made from mycelium?
My work is not quite furniture, not quite sculpture. I use furniture as a conversation starter. Everyone recognises a furniture piece, which I hope makes abstract ideas and tensions more accessible. There is some play between the manufactured and the natural. Mycelium is comfortable too, a little springy; velvety smooth.
3. You first started using mycelium as part of Adelaide Modern at the Jam Factory in 2018. What first fascinated you with this material? Is it challenging to use?
Adelaide Modern was a baptism by fire. I had never worked with mycelium, and the learning curve was steep. Working with a living organism was fascinating to me. Mycelium has personality. It’s enigmatic, and temperamental. You need respect and humility to get along with it – like having a pet cat.
4. What is circular practice and why is it important?
Circular practice is not just about ‘sustainability’ – which can mean anything these days. It’s about having a genuine reverence for our resources, and an understanding of consumption. In my practice that means encouraging a phenomenological relationship with the built world. This reduces waste by increasing perceived value.
5. What makes this exhibition special and what do you hope the audience takes away from it?
IM-PERMANENT is such a special exhibition because mycelium has the power to genuinely challenge the public’s relationships with materials in their environments. Like a cold shock, this sort of work takes viewers right back to the fundamentals – how do we make things, and what are the implications?
IM-PERMANENT
Thursday 18 — Sunday 28 May
The Store
Opening night
Thursday 18 May, 6pm — 8pm