Cindi Strauss, the distinguished Curator of Decorative Arts, Craft, and Design at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, possesses an unparalleled eye for post-1900 decorative arts and contemporary design. Her curatorial expertise has been instrumental in building the MFA’s collection, securing its reputation as one of the premier design holdings of its kind in the United States. Join NGV for a special Melbourne Design Week event with Cindi Strauss in conversation with Simone LeAmon, NGV Curator of Contemporary Design and Architecture, as they explore the narratives embedded within the design collections of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston and NGV, and discuss the significance of contemporary design in reflecting the values and complexities of our time.
PARTICIPANTS
Cindi Strauss
Cindi Strauss is the Sara and Bill Morgan Curator of Decorative Arts, Craft, and Design at The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. At the MFAH, she is responsible for the acquisitions, research, publication, and exhibition of post-1890 material. Over the course of her career, Cindi has curated over 30 exhibitions including major exhibitions on design and craft topics such as Ornament as Art: Contemporary Jewelry from the Helen Williams Drutt Collection (2007); Shifting Paradigms in Contemporary Ceramics: The Garth Clark and Mark Del Vecchio Collection (2012); Radical: Italian Design 1965-1985, The Dennis Freedman Collection (2020); and Electrifying Design: A Century of Lighting (2021). In addition to her MFAH publications, she has contributed writing to design and craft catalogues and journals and has been a frequent lecturer.
Simone LeAmon
Simone LeAmon is the inaugural Hugh D.T Williamson Curator of Contemporary Design and Architecture at the National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne (NGV). A curator, designer, artist, and educator for three decades, she is Adjunct Professor in the School of Design and Social Context, RMIT University, Melbourne and is the recipient of the 2021 Good Designs Australia, Women in Design Award. LeAmon’s contributions have significantly enhanced the understanding of contemporary design in Australia. Her curatorial endeavors at NGV include Melbourne Design Week (2017-23), Melbourne Design Fair (2022-23), NGV Triennial (2017, 2020 & 2023), Melbourne Now (2013 & 2023), MECCA X NGV Women in Design Commission (2022 & 2023), Rigg Design Prize (2015, 2018, 2022), Lucy McRae: Body Architect (2019), Black Bamboo (2019), and Designing Women (2018). Previously, she co-founded n+1 equals (1998-2003) and led Simone LeAmon Design and Creative Strategy (2003-2015), contributing to diverse commercial and cultural projects.