The National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne presented an exhibition of Creating the Contemporary Chair, last May. HighEnd visited this so-called art capital of the world to explore the alluring culture behind chair designs.

Praising the mysterious side of chair designing, the National Gallery of Victoria International on St. Kilda Road, Melbourne, is showcasing Creating the Contemporary Chair exhibition right until October 15th this year. The exhibition explores the significance of chairs as makers of design evolution and also as objects embedded with meaning, expression, experimentation and utility.

The collection of the chairs featured in this exhibition presents arresting and provocative chairs by some of the most interesting Australian and international designers practicing in recent decades. Works on display range in date from 1980 to 2016 and include examples of both mass-produced and studio-created chairs sourced from around the globe. The exhibition also comprises thirty-five new acquisitions that are supported by Gordon Moffatt AM.

Arguably one of the most compelling chair design exhibitions in our time, it is also telling a story of the makers. There are five narratives of the exhibition: Invention, Individualism, Lineage, Idealism and Diffusion. They offer a fresh perspective of chair design and interpret an enduring charisma of the designers.

PHOTOS: National Gallery of Victoria