Redmond Barry Fellowship

Dr Nanette Carter and Robyn Oswald-Jacobs

Book manuscript and exhibition: Frances Burke, designer and the fabric of modernist Melbourne

Nanette and Robyn's project examines Frances Burke's importance in Australia's design and cultural history, highlighting her textile design and role as a champion of modernist design from the late 1930s.

While Burke's work has been included in exhibitions on modern design, there has been no significant survey exhibition of her work. The project will bring Burke's work to a new generation, and will result in a monograph commissioned by Thames & Hudson and an exhibition at Heide Museum of Art on Burke's work as a leading Australian textile designer.

Dr Nanette Carter is enthusiastic about sharing the history of design with popular audiences through publications and curatorial projects. She has diverse research interests in the field of design, including design history, with particular focus on Australian design and modernism. She is an expert on Australian pioneer modernist design of the inter-war period and post-war DIY culture.

In addition to research publications and curating exhibitions on design, Nanette has acted as a consultant to the Powerhouse Museum Sydney, the Australian National Gallery, the National Gallery of Victoria, independent filmmakers and curators, and the Office of the Surveyor-General and Land information of the ACT Government.

Robyn Oswald-Jacobs has substantial experience curating exhibitions at significant public museums (Heide) and galleries (RMIT and regional galleries). She is enthusiastic about introducing the public to aspects of design history and material culture that have previously not been presented.