Rising SA talent takes his seat at Milan Design Week
InReview
Emerging South Australian furniture designer Andrew Eden will step out of his mentor Khai Liew’s shadow to present his own works at this month’s Milan Design Week.
Eden spent two years as Liew’s design assistant in Adelaide before branching out on his own and has already caught the world’s attention, earning an invitation to exhibit his furniture at the Milan Design Week Din-Design-In Fair from April 17.
He has worked with furniture for 15 years, including a studio associate placement in the highly sought-after furniture design program at the JamFactory.
“I discovered at the JamFactory that you don’t have to put much shape or form into timber to let it sing,” Eden says.
“The more minimal you can make the aesthetic, the more impact the timber has.”
It was at JamFactory that Eden met the renowned furniture and interior designer Khai Liew. Eden worked alongside him – including on a 250-piece bespoke furniture commission and interior fit-out for White Rabbit Gallery owner Judith Neilson in Sydney.
Having developed his craft with Liew, Eden started his own furniture design business, AG, and is now on the cusp of global success.
Andrew Eden’s ‘FLC’ (Framed Lounge Chair), with a steel rod frame.
Milan Design Week will showcase future-minded products for contemporary living from more than 2000 European and international exhibitors. It is expected to attract more than 300,000 visitors from 165 countries.
The Din-Design-In Fair, where Eden will exhibit, aims to connect design professionals and companies with business opportunities and contacts.
For his exhibition, Eden developed “Piegare” – a solid timber table with a unique folding action, designed specifically for small spaces.
His “FLC” (Framed Lounge Chair), with a steel-rod frame and a Raf Simons-designed Kvadrat upholstered seat, will also feature in the exhibition, along with a set of three stools varying in height for various settings.
“AG aims to embody simplicity through choice of material while allowing raw materials to speak for themselves,” says Eden. “The pieces are designed to be purely functional, yet fun and quirky reinventions of everyday products.”
Eden says AG’s mantra is Cadence. Functionality. Artistry. The small-batch offering of clean-lined, simple furniture is the embodiment of his experience and knowledge of the design industry.
He describes his designs as “fine in form and firm in function”, and “no frills”.
He hopes Milan Design Week will raise global brand awareness for AG and help him tap into an international market.
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“As a proud South Australian designer and craftsman, my ambition is to help advance a local representation on a renowned international platform. This festival [Din-Design-In Fair] attracts over 120,000 thousand visitors and is a rich opportunity for learning.”
Eden’s attendance at Milan Design Week is being funded by the Guildhouse IF interest-free loan service, which has loaned more than $120,000 to 30 South Australian artists to invest in their businesses.
This article was first published on The Lead.
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