Aboriginal designer and curator Alison Page, together with Breville, a global leader in innovative appliances, today announces a world first partnership between First Nations People and the National Museum of Australia to create products for the heart of the home that celebrate contemporary design and reflect 65,000 years of ongoing Australian Indigenous culture.
A decade in the making, an Aboriginal Australian Culinary Journey combines ancient stories with the best of contemporary design, with 100% of Breville’s profits going to: the National Indigenous Culinary Institute’s work to create employment opportunities for aspiring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander chefs; the ‘Indi-Kidi Program’ by the Moriarty Foundation to support childhood nutrition and sharing Indigenous Food Culture; and for Indigenous scholarships and initiatives at the University of Technology Sydney to create pathways for employment in engineering, technology and design.
Breathing art, ritual and stories into our homes and everyday lives, the inaugural limited series of six Breville products feature works by esteemed Western Desert artists, and members of the original Pintupi Nine, Yalti Napangati, Yukultji Napangati, Warlimpirrnga Tjapaltjarri and Sydney-based artist and Yuwaalaraay woman, Lucy Simpson.
The curator of the series is Alison Page, a Wadi Wadi and Walbanga woman of the Yuin nation. Page is currently Adjunct Associate Professor in Design at the University of Technology Sydney, founder of the National Aboriginal Design Agency and member of several cultural Boards including the National Australia Day Council, The Art Gallery of South Australia and the National Australian Maritime Museum.
In 2006, Page approached Richard Hoare, Breville’s Design and Innovation Director, to begin a conversation about bringing Indigenous art to life on products that then speak to people in their homes through the narrative power of visual storytelling. What began as a seed planted in a simple conversation evolved into a passion project that pays tribute to some of our nation’s most talented artists and creatives. It also educates Australians about ancient Indigenous beliefs and practices through art on kitchen objects. From this May, Breville invites people around the world to experience and be an important part of maintaining the world’s oldest living food culture.
“An Aboriginal Culinary Journey is an ambitious initiative to tell stories of our country using products as canvas. The artists had the brief of combining ancient artistic techniques with current design acumen and an eye toward the future. Our artists, Yalti, Yukultji, Warlimpirrnga and Lucy embraced this project so effortlessly and intuitively and imbued so much story and meaning to each piece. I am so proud to be part of this rich and important chapter in Australian design and culinary history,” said Curator, Alison Page.
The National Museum of Australia will feature the limited series in an exhibition, An Aboriginal Culinary Journey: Designed for Living, focusing on the continuity of cultural mark-making associated with Indigenous food culture by pairing First Nations traditional tools for living alongside the six modern kitchen objects also richly marked with signs of Country and culture.
“Living in the heart of people’s homes these once everyday objects, now wrapped in Country, become cultural ambassadors. This is what makes the Aboriginal Culinary Journey collection so significant – it’s more than just a product, it’s a piece of our culture and Country in the same way we buy art on canvas for our homes. We have always made marks of meaning on our tools for living, so this idea is just keeping up with the times.” added Margo Ngawa Neale, Head of the Centre for Indigenous Knowledge, Senior Indigenous Curator and Advisor, The National Museum of Australia.
To ensure the project had the highest cultural and legal integrity, Breville partnered with Dr Terri Janke, a Wuthathi/Meriam woman and an international authority on Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property, known for innovating pathways between the non Indigenous business sector and Indigenous people in business.
“As an Australian company, we are proud to share these stories belonging to the world’s oldest living culture and to weave them together with our own 90-year history of innovation,” said Jim Clayton, CEO of Breville Group. “An Aboriginal Culinary Journey is more than just a collection of products; it’s an invitation to immerse yourself in a deep and vibrant culture, and we’re honoured to provide this unique opportunity to bring these art objects into your home.”
The exhibition, An Aboriginal Culinary Journey: Designed for Living runs from May 27 to August 7 at the National Museum of Australia before a global exhibition tour to London, Paris, Berlin, Brussels, Toronto and Los Angeles.
Details
Prices: The Toast Select Luxe (Lucy Simpson), $349; The Soft Top Luxe (Yalti Napangati), $349; The Juice Fountain Cold (Yalti Napangati) $949; The Bambino Plus Coffee Maker (Warlimpirrnga) $1999, The Barista Pro (Yukultji Napangati) $999; The Smart Oven Air Fryer (Lucy Simpson), $899.
Stockists: The range is limited to 10,000 pieces globally. In Australia, an Aboriginal Culinary Journey is exclusively available at acj.breville.com, David Jones and Qantas Frequent Flyer Reward Store
100% of Breville’s profits will go to National Indigenous Culinary Institute, Indi Kindi by the Moriarty Foundation and UTS.
