Craft Victoria has announced internationally renowned Australian decorator Simone Haag will guest curate its final main gallery exhibition for 2024.

Fables & Folklore, opening this November at Craft’s Melbourne CBD gallery, will unite more than 30 Australian artists in a celebration of storytelling through craft and design.

For her curatorial debut, Haag will present a selection of hand-picked unique works from some of the “most respected” Australian artists and craft practitioners working today, according to Craft. They will be joined by some new faces – many of whom will exhibit at Craft for the first time. 

Among the exhibitors are furniture designer and 3D artist Locki Humphrey, multi-disciplinary designer Annie Paxton, and designer and artist Drew Abrahamson.

Haag says Fables & Folklore showcases the talents of Australian artisans who bridge the gap between reality and imagination. 

“This collection highlights the enduring function of narratives in human culture – offering comfort, caution and insight – while emphasising craftsmanship, an essential aspect of Craft Victoria’s mission,” she says.

Haag pivots from homes to exhibitions

Craft Victoria executive director Nicole Durling says this exhibition shows Haag, an instinctual curator, “at her best”.

“Simone Haag is beloved by her long list of clients and industry collaborators for her unwavering eye, and her ability to unearth new talent from across Australia,” Durling says.

While Haag says she has long been “a curator of homes”, she has very much enjoyed her exhibition debut. 

“The process has been more playful, less permanent. It has been collaborative with the artists and enjoyable for my intuition to guide the process, without the permanence of a residential home,” she says.

Fables & Folklore will run at the Craft gallery from 14 November to 25 January 2025. Register your interest on the Craft Victoria website.

Lead image of Simone Haag by Sarah Forgie.

Read our interview with Simone Haag about winning the Residential Interior Curation award at IDEA 2023.