Incollect Magazine - Issue 12

26 www.incollect.com designer Bernadette Hardy has worked frequently with Jansen and agrees with this assessment. “More than just collaboration, Jansen builds lasting relationships that extend beyond the final product, ensuring that the voices and stories of those he works with continue to shape narratives of culture and identity,” she says. “These partnerships have produced objects that honor marginal histories and cultural narratives, telling relational stories that offer a new foundation for Australian identity.” Jansen’s chairs are also on display at the Wexler Gallery in New York, each made with a different focus and collaborator. One is a simple, hand-carved wooden chair with a powerful visual impact, titled “Kutitji Chair,” the Pitjantjatjara word for a “shield.” Its design is derived from traditional Aboriginal shields found in the northern area of Australia where there is a plentiful wood supply. “That’s a collaboration with Errol Evans, an Aboriginal carver from far North Queensland,” Jansen explains. “He is a maker of traditional artifacts and a master at turning wood.” “When I first met Trent I was sceptical about the project he proposed and how it would work,” says Evans, a Djabugay and Western Yalanji designer. “But after a week of searching online for meaningful collaborative design ideas, we sat down and shared about ourselves. We took Trent out “on Country” and talked about climate change and how it's affecting everyone all over the world. This project is something very special to us as we had the chance to show our stories through our designs.” A second chair shown at Wexler is part of an ongoing series titled Ngumu Janka Warnti (All Made from Rubbish), with works made from discarded materials. “The substrate is aluminum