Vipoo Srivilasa: re/JOY is on view at the Australian Design Centre, Sydney
November 22, 2024 – January 29, 2025
Australian Design Centre (ADC) is delighted to present re/JOY, a major exhibition by Thai-born Australian artist Vipoo Srivilasa. re/JOY honours and celebrates the multi-layered personal migration stories of people from all over the world who, like Vipoo, have made Australia their home.
In 2023, the award-winning ceramic artist issued a public call-out for donations of broken ceramic objects that held significant meaning for their owners, and for their stories explaining why. From the responses Vipoo chose seven pieces and stories that resonated with him to create his striking new 1.5-metre-tall ceramic sculptures. These included a teapot made in Korea, a terracotta tile from India, and a clay sculpture from Mexico, all damaged in some way yet still precious. Vipoo has also made an eighth sculpture referencing his own experiences moving from Thailand to Australia, based around a button from his grandfather that holds strong family connections.
re/JOY is a collaborative, community-driven project designed to engage with overseas-born Australians. It examines the emotional connection we have with everyday objects and their role in our lives through migration experiences and memories. It also draws out the complex feelings associated with overseas relocation, the difficult process of gaining Australian permanent residency, and the many meanings of home.
Vipoo was awarded a $100,000 VACS Commissioning Grant from Creative Australia for this project with ADC as the commissioning organisation. The project includes the exhibition, an artist monograph, digital materials and innovative public programs; the exhibition will be seen around Australia from 2025-2027 through ADC On Tour, including at regional venues. ADC CEO and Artistic Director Lisa Cahill said, “In 2022, when Vipoo suggested collaborating with me and Australian Design Centre to present a new exhibition telling stories about migration, I jumped at the opportunity. This project is joyful, playful and hopeful—a rich tapestry of humanity that reconnects with broken objects to reveal their deeper meaning.”
In 2023 Vipoo won ADC’s inaugural MAKE Award: Biennial Prize for Innovation in Australian Craft and Design, with a prize of $35,000. Vipoo generally works in series with different themes, including queerness, spirituality, loneliness, culture and migration. “Even though the subjects seem kind of serious, the work is really positive,” he says. “I find joy in all these places.” Beauty and humour are key elements of his practice: “It’s easy for people to understand my work when I present it in an accessible and positive way.”
A beautiful new monograph, Vipoo Srivilasa Positive Art Work, was launched in November 2024, about his life and practice with new essays including ADC’s Lisa Cahill on re/JOY.
About Vipoo Srivilasa
The Melbourne-based artist grew up in Bangkok, Thailand and moved to Australia in 1997. His practice primarily focuses on ceramics, though he also produces works on paper, mixed media sculptures, bronze statues and large-scale public art installations. He often incorporates food and interactive performance into his ceramic projects, creating a unique and immersive experience for viewers. Recent projects include Happy Australian at the National Portrait Gallery; Positive Dining at Workshop restaurant in Bangkok; and Garden of Love for 10th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art at Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art, Brisbane.
About Australian Design Centre
Established in 1964, Australian Design Centre is an independent impact organisation based in Sydney. We support and promote Australia’s innovative designer makers, established and emerging, and encourage people to engage with design, craft and creativity through dynamic and high-quality national touring exhibitions, publishing, digital and educational activities.
Contact
hello@australiandesigncentre.com
Australian Design Centre
101-115 William Street
Darlinghurst NSW 2010
Australia
Installation views by Jacquie Manning / Images of individual works and details by Simon Strong
