Bayside City Council invites the community to ‘Grant Featherston: redefining interiors’, an exhibition celebrating one of Australia’s leading designers from the 1950s to 1970s.

Opening on 12 November, the exhibition held at Bayside’s Arts and Cultural Centre in Brighton will showcase works from designer Grant Featherston (1922-1995), including his well-known Contour Chairs through to his later works produced with partner Mary Featherston such as the rare Contour Rocking Chair and Obo Chair.

The exhibition showcases objects from Featherston’s Contour range including the 1951 R152 Contour Chair and the rare 1953 R160 Rocking Chair, through to later works produced with partner Mary Featherston such as the Obo Chair. Inspired by Featherston’s contribution to the interior design of the Brighton Municipal Offices in 1961, the exhibition will feature a number of chairs from the original interior, which are now housed in the Bayside City Council’s Art Collection.

While known for his innovative furniture, Featherston was a multi-disciplined designer whose work also included product development, graphics, photography, jewellery, interiors and exhibitions.

Inspired by Featherston’s contribution to the interior design of the Brighton Municipal Offices in 1961, the exhibition will feature a number of chairs from the original interior, which are now housed in Bayside City Council’s Art Collection.

Bayside City Council Mayor Cr James Long said he was delighted Council was able to host the exhibition so Bayside residents had the opportunity to see original pieces created by one of the most prominent figures in Australia’s design history.

“This exhibition celebrates the inspirational work of Grant Featherston. His pioneering designs, unique techniques with using materials, and his chairs – which continue to be highly sought after – have proved timeless in their appeal. I encourage everyone in Bayside to come along and see the wonderful works of Featherston,” Cr Long said.

‘Grant Featherston: redefining interiors’ has been curated by the inaugural recipient of the Bayside City Council and Deakin University Curatorial Internship, Lisa Collins.

The Internship Program – launched in July 2009 – aims to provide Deakin Museum Studies students with mentoring and professional curatorial experience while delivering new and innovative exhibitions to the community using Bayside City Council’s Collection. “Grant Featherston: redefining interiors” will run from 12 November 2009 until 1 May 2010 at the Bayside Arts and Cultural Centre at Brighton Town Hall (Crn Carpenter and Wilson Streets), Brighton. The free exhibition can be viewed on Thursdays and Saturdays from 2-5pm (except for public holiday weekends).

For more information, please contact Bayside City Council’s Communications Department on 9599 4444.