Craft Victoria presents two exhibitions exploring the beauty and potential of discarded materials

Craft Victoria is currently showcasing two thought-provoking exhibitions that reimagine the life cycle of materials through the lens of contemporary design.

Running until June 14 and June 21, respectively, By/Product: Oxide by Locki Humphrey, and Future Ambition featuring Pit Projects, are both grounded in sustainability, material innovation, and aesthetic transformation.

In their first solo show at Craft, emerging artist-designer Locki Humphrey debuts By/Product: Oxide, the third chapter in Craft’s ongoing By/Product series.

The initiative invites creatives to repurpose discarded materials into collectible furniture and design objects.

Locki’s contribution features a cohesive collection of a lamp, chair, shelving, coffee table, and wall installation, all made from remnant steel, textile offcuts, and timber stained using iron oxide sourced from metal waste.

Pushing material experimentation even further, Locki uses a leather substitute crafted from the prickly pear cactus – a species considered one of Australia’s most invasive weeds.

The resulting works are defined by a minimalist, industrial aesthetic that celebrates natural textures and subtle colour contrasts.

“We can begin to understand objects as only one iteration of an assemblage of materials, knowing it’s part of a larger life cycle, where each component has a history and a future,” Locki said.

We can live in a world where objects are celebrated for their beauty, as well as their flexibility, their ability to be pulled apart and transformed into something else.

Future Ambition delves into sustainability by spotlighting collaborative practices and experimental reuse in contemporary design.

The exhibition highlights a selection of forward-thinking artists and designers imagining more conscious approaches to creation.

Among them are Pit Projects, the collaborative practice of Anni Hagberg and Michael Gittings, who present a striking collection of functional objects made entirely from salvaged materials.

Their pieces – including lighting fixtures, a side table, and a wall cabinet – are crafted from glass and metal collected from illegal dump sites and kerbside refuse in Melbourne’s western suburbs.

“Working with found materials develops your material and technical skills in uniquely tacit way,” Pit Projects said.

“This way of working invariably results in unexpected discovery and new directions, something that is both highly generative and inspiring.”

Both exhibitions are now open at Craft Victoria, offering a compelling glimpse into a future where design is as sustainable as it is innovative. •