Clement Meadmore: The art of Mid-century Design was the first major survey exhibition to focus on the industrial design practice of one of Australia’s most internationally successful artists. Curated by Dean Keep and Jeromie Maver, the exhibition charted the evolution of Clement Meadmore’s design aesthetic in the 1950s and early 60s, before he shifted his focus to sculpture, and highlighted the role Meadmore played alongside Australia’s most innovative and progressive designers of the mid-century period.
The exhibition sheds light on a time when mid-century tastemakers sought to shape postwar Melbourne into a thriving and cosmopolitan city that, through the intersection of art, design and architecture, embodied the ideals and principles of the modernist aesthetic. Meadmore’s first furniture design, a steel rod and corded dining chair created in 1951, became an instant hit, catching the attention of the highly influential modernist architect Robin Boyd and receiving the Good Design Award from the Society of Interior Designers of Australia (SIDA). The chair would later form part of the iconic thirteen-piece series known as the Meadmore Originals.
For just over a decade, Meadmore produced a small range of innovative furniture and lighting designs, that were popular with architects, artists and designers of the period. In 1955, prior to the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, Meadmore was commissioned to design the interiors of the Legend Espresso and Milk Bar and the Teahouse, both in Melbourne. Drawing upon international modernism and a new-found passion for Italian culture, the Legend is arguably one of Meadmore’s greatest achievements and became a touchstone for many young creatives in 1950s Melbourne.
In the latter part of the 1950s, Meadmore’s attention increasingly shifted to his sculptural practice and the gallery scene, whilst maintaining his industrial design practice. He would also play a pivotal role in establishing and managing Max Hutchinson’s Gallery A. Known as the Little Bauhaus, the gallery championed non-figurative art and industrial design, with Meadmore responsible for designing the gallery’s line of contract furniture.
The result of ten years of research, Clement Meadmore: The Art of Mid-century Design newly discovered Meadmore designs alongside many pieces presented to public for the first time. The exhibition also presented a rare opportunity to see original furniture and lighting designed by Meadmore for the modernist interiors of the Legend Espresso and Milk Bar and the Teahouse. The iconic designs in this exhibition – including chairs, tables, light fixtures, and graphics – were enlivened by archival images and documents, and interviews with the artist’s family and colleagues connected to the Melbourne art, jazz and design scenes of the 1950s. Clement Meadmore: The Art of Mid-century Design showcased Meadmore’s rich design practice and shined a light on the important cultural shifts that shaped mid-century Melbourne.
Clement Meadmore, Reclining Chair 1953 in Clement Meadmore: The Art of Mid-century Design, Potter Museum of Art, installation view. Collection of Dean Keep and Jeromie Maver.
Clement Meadmore: The Art of Mid-century Design, Potter Museum of Art, installation view
Clement Meadmore, Calyx Pendant Lamp 1954, Three-legged Plywood Chair 1955 in Clement Meadmore: The Art of Mid-century Design, Potter Museum of Art, installation view. Harris/Atkins Collection.
Clement Meadmore: The Art of Mid-century Design, Potter Museum of Art, installation view
Clement Meadmore: The Art of Mid-century Design, Potter Museum of Art, installation view
Clement Meadmore: The Art of Mid-century Design, Potter Museum of Art, installation view
Supporters
This project has been assisted by a State Library Victoria Creative Fellowship and generously supported by The Pancake Parlour and Parallel Practice.
