Australia | IOTA21: Indian Ocean Craft Triennial

On the theme of Curiosity and Rituals of the Everyday, the inaugural IOTA21: Indian Ocean Craft Triennial is a celebration of art and craft in all its forms. The international exhibition, conference, fashion event, and festival of Indian Ocean craft runs in Western Australia September - November 2021, across several venues.

IOTA21 features handmade works in a variety of media by more 200 artists, craftspeople, designers and artisans from Australia, India, South Africa, Kenya, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore.

“The original plan was to stage just one major exhibition to showcase examples of contemporary craft from around the Indian Ocean Rim,” says Jude van der Merwe, who heads the volunteer founding team of curators, art managers and academics.

John Curtin Gallery in Bentley and Fremantle Arts Centre responded enthusiastically, and quickly. The IOTA21 exhibition will be held in these two galleries, featuring 36 artists.

“Once word escaped to the wider art and craft community in WA, we were inundated with requests from galleries and craft groups who wanted to join in,” she continues. “The result is that we now have a large complementing festival supporting the major international exhibition, a conference, a fashion event and public program.”

The IOTA21 Futuring Craft Conference takes place 17-18 September, with tickets on sale for online attendance. Futuring Craft addresses matters that traverse craft from design, environment, economies and fundamental human rights.

Bringing together academics, makers and the craft sector from Australia and countries of the Indian Ocean and beyond, the IOTA21 conference supports the themes inherent in the IOTA21 international exhibition 'Curiosity and Rituals of the Everyday'. Speakers include human rights activists, visual artists, academics, architects, and designers working across diverse independent practice, universities, galleries and workshops.

The Fashion Event (Curiosity and the Cloth) will be held in Perth on 19 September

IOTA21 presents a wider festival program of exhibitions and events in various other venues from Sep-Nov 2021 in Western Australia

Read The West Australian article about IOTA21