Perth will host a gathering of international curators this November as part of preparations for the next Indian Ocean Craft Triennial, known as IOTA27. For the first time, a Curatorium of nine members from India, Indonesia, Kenya, Malaysia, Thailand and Australia will meet in Western Australia to set the curatorial direction for the event.
The panel brings together a wide range of cultural and professional backgrounds, with responsibilities that include artist selection, curatorial dialogue and developing fresh frameworks for presenting craft on an international stage. Their presence is expected to spark new conversations around how craft is defined, practised and understood across borders.
A one-day public program, Craft Co-Lab, will take place on 4 November, offering local audiences and the arts sector a chance to hear directly from the Curatorium. Panel discussions will explore pressing themes such as the place of craft in the digital age, the role of ancestry in contemporary practice, the power of craft as a connective force, and the ways in which makers are challenging conventional categories to create fluid cultural futures.
The gathering highlights Perth’s growing importance as a hub for intercultural exchange and strengthens IOTA’s role as a platform linking contemporary craft across the Indian Ocean.
Carola Akindele-Obe, Executive Director of IOTA, describes the occasion as an exceptional opportunity for Western Australian cultural industries to connect with peers from across the region. “It’s an unprecedented opportunity for WA’s cultural industries to connect directly with international peers, build lasting relationships, and learn from a wide range of curatorial approaches to craft,” she said.
Jude van der Merwe, IOTA Curatorial Chair, emphasised the value of the exchange, noting that the visiting curators bring together expertise and perspectives that will shape IOTA27 while broadening the conversation about craft’s role in a global context.
Support for the Curatorium comes from the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade through the Centre for Australia–India Relations and the ASEAN–Australia Centre, alongside the Western Australian Government, Curtin University, the IOTA Ambassadors, Forrest Research Foundation, and several major exhibition partners including Bunbury Regional Art Gallery, John Curtin Gallery, Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery, Perth Institute of Contemporary Art and Fremantle Arts Centre.
The Indian Ocean Craft Triennial, first staged in 2021, is Australia’s only international festival of contemporary craft dedicated to the Indian Ocean region. Combining a central exhibition with a statewide program of residencies, projects and public events, it brings artists, curators and communities together to share knowledge and creativity through the universal language of craft.
Further details about the event and curator biographies can be found at indianoceancrafttriennial.com.
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