A Dictionary of Magic, c. 1971-73, creators the Jigsaw Factory, Alex Stitt and Bruce Weatherhead, Gift of Alex and Paddy Stitt. RMIT Design Archives.

A Dictionary of Magic, c. 1971-73, creators the Jigsaw Factory, Alex Stitt and Bruce Weatherhead, Gift of Alex and Paddy Stitt. RMIT Design Archives.

Spellbound in the Archives: The Jigsaw Factory and Troppo Print Studio

Presented by RMIT Design Archives

Details

Free, booking required

RMIT Design Archives
154 Victoria Street, Carlton VIC, Australia

Dates

Mon 18 May 11am – 12pmBook now

Led by Troppo Print Studio’s Sarah Murphy and Matt Feder, this collection viewing and talk explores the design archives of The Jigsaw Factory, focussing on the playful and educational design of board games and children’s books and their impact on contemporary design and publishing.

Established in 1971 by graphic designers Bruce Weatherhead and Alex Stitt in Bridge Road, Richmond, The Jigsaw Factory was a vibrant centre for educational toys, books, games, furniture, music, crafts, clothes and surprises, designed to bring fun into learning for children.

The program forms part of Sarah Murphy and Matt Feder’s ongoing research into archival collections of graphic design.

Participants will have the opportunity to view original designs by Weatherhead and Stitt and learn how these records have inspired new work by contemporary makers. The session reveals the source material that Troppo Print Studio has been exploring in their workshops, exhibitions and artists’ books, especially The Dictionary of Magic – a lavishly illustrated large-format book containing games, including a Ouija board and a beautifully designed set of tarot cards. The Studio’s forthcoming publication The Dictionary of Hand Screenprinting will be available to view.

Participants

Troppo Print Studio
Troppo Print Studio, established in 2018, is a collaborative production space focused on research and learning in the field of screen printing. Led by Sarah Murphy and Matt Feder, the studio offers an open-access screenprint studio and screen-printing classes for everyone from beginners to experienced printmakers. Troppo Print Studio collaborates with art and education organisations including Northern College of Arts and Technology (NCAT), RMIT University, the Victorian College of the Arts, George Patton Gallery, Arts Project Australia, Castlemaine Art Museum and Monash University.