Neometro Issue 4

NEOMETRO ISSUE # 4 - MARCH

Welcome to Issue 04 of the Neometro newsletter. We are pleased to announce that we are taking pre-launch enquiries on our new project in Toorak. Moments from both Toorak and Hawksburn villages, this small collection of spectacular residences are being offered exclusively to Neometro’s existing client base.

While Neometro's design priorities are mostly about following projects from inception to completion, we are also interested in the philosophies of others. In this issue we have the pleasure of interviewing Jason Smith from Heide as well as introducing you to some objects and ideas created both locally and abroad - from food, to technology to anti-technology. We are interested not just in the how, but the why.

Click here for pre-launch enquiries

Yours Sincerely,
Jeff Provan and James Tutton

INTERVIEW

Jason Smith

Director & CEO of
Heide Museum of Modern Art

Who are you and what do you do?

I have been the Director & CEO of Heide Museum of Modern Art since June 2008; I oversee the artistic direction of the Museum and manage the business. I worked as curator of contemporary art at the NGV for 10 years prior to joining Heide. I had an early passion to be an artist and spent four fantastic, life-changing years at the ANU School of Art studying printmaking. But life took me into the museum world – and what a constantly intriguing world it is!

What has been your greatest challenge?

The leadership of an iconic organisation like Heide is an enormous privilege, but presents daily challenges. For me, the greatest challenge to date has been the major redevelopment and construction of the new Café Vue at Heide. I’ve worked closely with the designer and builder on the beautiful glass pavilion space, and with Shannon Bennett and his team to develop a great café menu of seasonal produce that draws on some of the riches of Heide’s vegetable and kitchen gardens.

Tell us about a memorable moment.

Too many! The week the café opened the new café staff had just set up the marvellous outdoor courtyard, and a sudden, wild storm blew horizontal sheets of rain, branches and leaf litter through the café. The staff were in shock: slightly alarmed, slightly amused. What could I say? Get used to it, and welcome to the bush!

Who do you work with on your projects?

I work daily with incredibly imaginative curators, artists, educators and commercial operations staff to ensure a dynamic range of exhibition programs and visitor experiences at Heide. The greatest privilege is working closely with the many leading artists who contribute to Heide’s status as a leading Australian art museum.

Where to now?

At the time of writing we are in the middle of our summer ‘blockbuster’ exhibition Cubism & Australian Art, which has attracted a fantastically enthusiastic audience and generated widespread critical acclaim. One of the great exhibitions we are delivering for August is a truly revelatory and very edgy show called Up Close: Carol Jerrems with Larry Clark, Nan Goldin & William Yang, which brings together the works of these four outstanding photographers and examines their raw visions of daily life, warts and all.

FEATURES

Pepperino

About five years ago, when faced with the question of what to do with their wooden offcuts, Melbourne-based ‘Furniture As Art’ design company Arte Veneta created the Pepperino brand. While still referred to as their ‘little brother’, Pepperino is growing up and is now used commercially at restaurants such as Enoteca Sileno, Rockpool, Fifteen and Barbagallo Pizzeria on Londsale Street. It is also sold directly at Tongue and Groove in Collingwood, among other stores across Melbourne. Made from French walnut, ancient olive trees or rare Macassar timber, the prices and designs of the Pepperino range can vary, the quality remains consistent.

www.pepperino.com.au

Pijama

While technology must look to the future, it is not necessary for technological accessories to look space age too. Fortunately, a small company called Pijama from Milan is approaching technology with style and providing colourful soft cases for laptops, cameras, hard drives, iPhones and even records. These cases are manufactured by local sewers near Milan with a soft, resistant neoprene material that is combined with a range of fabrics from vintage ’70s hand-printed cotton to traditional Italian tablecloth colours.

www.pijama.it

Postalco

It’s easy to regret the lost art of letter writing. It is even easier to not do anything about it. Postalco began in Brooklyn, New York, led by a curiosity for the international exchange of mail that inspired a range of beautiful paper goods and stationery. Now based in Tokyo, Postalco works closely with Japanese craftspeople to also produce leather bags, document envelopes, wallets, key rings, letter writing sets and the occasional piece of clothing. Designed to be functional and long lasting, Postalco products not only create stories but tell stories.