Thames & Hudson proudly presents Assemblage, a tome that forays the arduous art of interior design through the lens of assemblage — a term traditionally used in art to describe the synthesis of varied components into a unified whole. This volume, with its fervour and fastidiousness, investigates how a curatorial assembly of furniture, fittings, landscape and sartorial trends can remodel a space into an evocative work of art.
The grandeur of Assemblage has been unveiled at the Great Dane Showroom in Fitzroy, where Tanya Buchanan, editor-in-chief of Belle Magazine, presided over the launch — a celebration of the three-year creative odyssey that has brought together the talents of Shannon McGrath, Annie Reid and Marcus Piper to capture the essence of Australia’s most beautiful homes and the artisans behind them.
The quintessence of prodigious houses is not merely in their architectural prowess but in their ability to convey stories through their design features. Over the past 25 years, renowned photographer Shannon McGrath has captured a legion of beautiful homes in Australia. Assemblage was composed from her archive, with Marcus Piper bringing these images to life on paper. Each chapter begins with a conversation between Annie Reid and the architect, designer or owner of the house, framing insights into the creative processes behind the interiors.
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The oeuvre presents each respective house with an identity of its own, punctuated by custom typographic symbols that add a layer of detail to the design narrative. Assemblage takes readers on a journey, examining the moments within each space — artworks, vessels, murals — and the artisans behind them. The concept extends beyond the physical objects to the stories that define them. Assemblage also invites readers to consider how significant details — regardless of their size — contribute to a profound impact, reflecting the storytelling that makes each room bespoke.
Assemblage: The Art of the room by Shannon McGrath and Annie Reid, published by Thames & Hudson, is out now where all good books are sold for RRP $79.99.
Next up: Memories and art to fill each corner at CLO Studios’ Villa des Fleurs