The homeware brands collaborating with First Nations artists

The desire for meaningful connections to homewares is on the rise – it’s an era in which consumers want pieces that are on trend and ornamental and encourage us to think beyond form and function.

One brand embracing this is home appliances giant Breville, which has collaborated with First Nations artists to bring Aboriginal art and cultural storytelling into the kitchen.

Aboriginal interior designer and curator of the series, Alison Page, had the idea for a homewares collaboration 16 years ago when she met Breville design and innovation director Richard Hoare at a wedding.

It wasn’t until three years ago the project really took shape.

“Now is the time for these First Nations collaborations to happen to give voice to the world’s oldest ecologists,” Page says.

“If we can bring their enduring stories through ornamental pieces into the home – while also supporting First Nations culture and artists – then that’s a good thing.”

The appetite to know more and do more when it comes to First Nations reconciliation has never been more important than now.

Page – an adjunct associate professor in design at the University of Technology Sydney and founder of the National Aboriginal Design Agency – worked closely with Hoare to find the artists for the project.

They are Lucy Simpson, Yalti Napangati, Yukultji Napangati and Warlimpirrnga Tjapaltjarri. Three of them are from the Pintupi Nine, who first entered the modern world in 1984 when they saw white people for the first time.

“They have a direct line to their ancient stories, and now Australians can connect to theirs in the home too,” Page says.

“There was a lot of technical and cultural process in making this work. We had to respect the traditional protocols and bring it together with the most high-tech design. This wasn’t just about putting art on an appliance; it was way more respectful in its process of getting every brush stroke and colour correct.”

Hoare says the appliances are creating cultural conversations and putting history on the kitchen table.

“Imagine waking up to a kettle that welcomes you to country or a toaster that tells you something about the land and the culture,” he says.

“The fact these products infuse 65,000 years of continuous Australian culture into home design products adds value and meaning.”

Profits from the limited-edition range [about 1000 items per line] go directly to helping the artists.

Breville isn’t the only brand forging relationships with First Nations artists; lifestyle brand Koskela has collaborated with many since 2009.

A new range of fabrics featuring Penny Evans, Jacinta Lorenzo, Raylene Miller, Lucy Simpson and Regina Wilson, as well as members of the art centre Jilamara Arts, are featured in a new collection.

Titled dali dyalgala, a Darug phrase meaning “to embrace”, the collection brings together weaving, sculpture and painting into cloths that become cushions, chairs and beanbags.

Koskela founder Sasha Titchkosky started her business 13 years ago with a lighting range in collaboration with Arnhem Land weavers.

“When we started this business, I don’t think people were that conscious of doing collaborations like this – it’s really taking shape now and a real awakening of Australians to this incredible culture that exists among us,” Titchkosky says.

The licenced artworks and designs are purchased directly from the artist and art centres involved and a range of unique colourways is created for each. Koskela works with fabric suppliers Think Positive (Sydney) and Frankie and Swiss (Melbourne) to realise the final cloths.