Trent Jansen is a designer based in Thirroul, Australia, and Lecturer at the University of New South Wales Art & Design, Sydney Australia. Trent gained his PhD from the University of Wollongong under renowned Australian art historian Ian McLean, and his Bachelor of Design from the College of Fine Arts, University of New South Wales in Sydney, spending a portion of his undergraduate degree in the Department of Art and Design at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada.
After a period working under Marcel Wanders in Amsterdam, Trent returned to Australia to set up the Trent Jansen Studio in Sydney, before moving his practice to Thirroul on the New South Wales South Coast.
Jansen applies his method of Design Anthropology to the design of limited edition and one-off pieces for clients including the Molonglo Group, Charter Hall and Mirvac. This approach is also applied to the design of products and furniture for manufacturers Moooi, DesignByThem and Tait. Jansen was one of the co-founders of Broached Commissions and is represented by Broached Commissions for Broached in-house commissions.
“Trent has a great deal of respect for cultural heritage and is extraordinarily thorough in incorporating cultural identity and history into his works ... his collaboration with Broached Commissions has the same kind of take on defining the Australian design identity as Droog has done for the Dutch design identity”
Marcel Wanders – Mezzanine, 2015.
Trent Jansen is represented by Gallery All in the USA and China, and Galleria Rossana Orlandi in Europe.
Jansen’s work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, including: National Gallery of Victoria 2022, 2020, 2019, 2017 and 2013; ART021, Shanghai 2021; JingArt, Beijing 2021; Gallery Sally Dan-Cuthbert, Australia 2020 and 2019; Galleria Rossana Orlandi, Milan 2019; Design Miami, Miami and Basel 2018 and 2015; Salon Art+Design, New York City 2017; Art Gallery of South Australia 2017; XX1T - the 21st International Exhibition at the Triennale Di Milano 2016; Design Days Dubai 2015; The Ullens Centre for Contemporary Art, Beijing 2014; Broached Colonial, Sydney and Melbourne 2011; London Design Museum 2009 and Salone Internazionale del Mobile, Italy 2008.
Jansen’s awards include: Australia Council for the Arts ‘Project Funding’ Award 2021, 2019 and 2017, the Design Files & Laminex Design Awards with Johnny Nargoodsh 2021, the Space+Edra Design Residency with Massimo Morozzi 2010, the Bombay Sapphire ‘Design Discovery’ Award 2008, the Spiral ‘Rendez-vous’ Japanese Manufacturing Residency 2006, the Australia Council for the Arts ‘New Work’ Award 2005 and the Object ‘New Design’ National Graduate Award 2004.
Jansen’s work has been published in Dezeen (UK), Yellow Trace (Australia), Up Cycle! – Ginkgo Press (Singapore), Surface Asia (Singapore), the Sydney Morning Herald (Australia), Vogue Living (Australia), Frame (Holland), Ish (Singapore), Harper’s Bazaar (Singapore), I.D. (USA), The Australian (Australia), Habitus (Australia), The Straight Times (Singapore), & Fork - Phaidon Press (UK), Monument (Australia), Habitus (Australia), Belle (Australia), Prestige (Singapore), The Age (Australia), Financial Review (Australia) and Tokyo Metropolis (Japan) and many more.
Trent Jansen’s work is in production with Tait, DesignByThem and Broached Commissions in Australia, Sekimoto in Japan and Moooi in The Netherlands and, Edra and Vetralia in Italy.
www.trentjansen.com
Since being named Australian design graduate of the year in 2004 by the New South Wales peak body for design - Object Gallery, now known as the Australian Design Centre (ADC), I have regularly produced non-traditional research outputs for the best public institutions and private companies in Australia and abroad. I have a long history exhibiting with the ADC, including Porosity Kabari in 2018, Object Therapy in 2017 and Bombay Sapphire Design Discovery exhibitions 2006-2008. In this final year I was awarded the Bombay Sapphire Design Discovery Award, the industry’s largest and most prestigious design award. In 2013 I began exhibiting non-traditional research outputs with the Victorian peak body for art and design, the National Gallery of Victoria, and have since been invited to exhibit solo exhibitions for Melbourne Design Weeks in 2017, 2020 and 2023, and a retrospective of the work of Broached Commissions at NGV Australia in 2018/19. Following these solo and retrospective exhibitions the NGV acquired three major research outputs, adding to the existing major work of mine already in their collection. In 2017 I was the only design practitioner to be named a finalist of the Ramsay Art Prize, with my non-traditional research outputs exhibited at the South Australian peak body for art and decorative arts, Art Gallery of South Australia. Lastly, my non-traditional research outputs were exhibited at one of Western Australian peak bodies for art, Fremantle Arts Centre, as part of the In Cahoots Exhibition 2018 and Kurunpa Kunpu | Strong Spirit in 2023.
I work with the most prestigious producers and design galleries in Australia and abroad, having produced non-traditional research outputs with top-tier design brands Tait, who make high quality outdoor furniture and UAP, with offices in Brisbane, Shanghai and New York making site specific and production public furniture for the Australian, Asian and American architectural markets. I am a co-founder of Australia’s most highly regarded limited edition design house, Broached Commissions, producing limited edition and one-off pieces for the collectable design market and peak art and design institutions in Australia, Asia, America and Europe. I am also represented by Gallery All in the USA and China, and Galleria Rossana Orlandi in Italy, two of the world's most esteemed commercial limited edition and collectable design gallery.
My work with top tier international institutions began in 2009 when my research was named a finalist in London Design Museum’s ‘Designs of the Year’ list and exhibited at this peak body for design in Britain. In 2014 I was invited to exhibit my non-traditional research outputs as part of a Broached Commissions retrospective at top tier Chinese art institution - Ullen’s Centre for Contemporary Art. My work for Broached Commissions was again exhibited at the Italian key peak body for design, the Triennale di Milano as part of their 21st International Exhibition, a survey of time defining design produced internationally in that year.
An indicator of excellence in the design industry is representation at a number of key international design fairs, including Venice Design Biennial, Design Miami in both Basel Switzerland and Miami USA, Salon Art+Design in NYC, Design Days Dubai, JungArt in Beijing, Art021 in Shanghai and the Salone Internationale del Mobile in Milan Italy. Throughout 2017-2023 I have consistently exhibited non-traditional research outcomes with top tier international commercial galleries at these fairs, including: the Salone Internationale del Mobile with Galleria Rossana Orlandi, commonly regarded as one of the best design galleries in the world; and Design Miami, Salon Art+Design, Jung Art, Design021 and Design Days Dubai with Gallery All, a highly regarded avant-garde gallery based in Beijing and Los Angeles. I also consistently consult to the best manufacturers of design in the world, including top tier international design brands Moooi, Vetralia and Edra, who sell through the best design galleries, retailers, design fairs and their own flag-ship stores in all major international markets. My relationship with Edra beginning when I was announced the winner of the prestigious Space+Edra Award, one of the most coveted design awards in Australia.
Works in Production
- 2023 - Manta Pilti | Dry Sand Collection in collaboration with Tanya Singer - Editions of 3 and 8 - Trent Jansen Studio, Australia.
- 2023 - Kutitji | Shield Collection in collaboration with Errol Evans - Editions of 8 - Trent Jansen Studio, Australia.
- 2022 - Balit-dhan Balit-nganjin in collaboration with Maree Clark - One off - Broached Commissions, Australia.
- 2020 - Martuwarra Jiliny Walyarra in collaboration with Johnny Nargoodah - Edition of 3 - Trent Jansen Studio, Australia.
- 2020 - Saddle Collection - Editions of 5 - Trent Jansen Studio, Australia.
- 2020 - Ngumu Janka Warnti Collection in collaboration with Johnny Nargoodah - Editions of 5 - Trent Jansen Studio, Australia.
- 2019 - Shaker Family Home in collaboration with Chris Nicholson - Trent Jansen Studio, Australia.
- 2017 - 2018 - Pankalangu Collection - Editions of 3 - Broached Commissions, Australia.
- 2017 - Jangarra Armchair in collaboration with Johnny Nargoodan and Rita Minga - Edition of 3 - Mangkaja Arts and Fremantle Arts Centre, Australia.
- 2017 - Collision Collection in collaboration with Johnny Nargoodah - One offs - Mangkaja Arts and Fremantle Arts Centre, Australia.
- 2017 - Hairy Wild Man from Botany Bay Collection - Editions of 3 - Broached Commissions, Australia.
- 2016 - Dropping a Kumbhar Wala Matka - Trent Jansen Studio, Australia.
- 2016 - Jugaad with Car Parts - Trent Jansen Studio, Australia.
- 2016 - Jugaad with Pottery - Trent Jansen Studio, Australia.
- 2016 - Tidal Collection - Tait, Australia.
- 2015 - Nuptial Collection - DesignByThem, Australia.
- 2015 - Make Do - UAP, Australia.
- 2014 - Council of Nicea - Broached Commissions, Australia.
- 2014 - Diaspora - Broached Commissions, Australia.
- 2013 - Chinaman’s File Rocking Chair - Edition of 12 - Broached Commissions, Australia.
- 2011 - Briggs Family Tea Service - Edition of 5 - Broached Commissions, Australia.
- 2008 - 3d Stencil - Trent Jansen Studio, Australia.
- 2008 - Japanese Environment Minister’s Furoshiki - Felissimo, Japan.
- 2008 - Pregnant Chair - Moooi, The Netherlands.
- 2004 - Sign Stool Limited Edition - Edition of 50 - Trent Jansen Studio, Australia.
Works Held in Public Collections
- 2022 - Wesley Place - Balit-dhan Balit-nganjin in collaboration with Maree Clark.
- 2020 - National Gallery of Victoria - Ngumu Janka Warnti High Back Chair in collaboration with Johnny Nargoodah.
- 2019 - National Gallery of Victoria - Jangarra Armchair in collaboration with Johnny Nargoodah and Rita Minga..
- 2019 - National Gallery of Victoria - Briggs Family Tea Service.
- 2016 - National Gallery of Victoria - Chinaman’s File Rocking Chair.
- 2016 - University of Wollongong - Make Do Bench.
- 2016 - University of Wollongong - Solstice Bench.
- 2015 - University of New South Wales - UNSW Galleries - Make Do Seat, Bench and Coffee Table.
Selected Solo Exhibitions
- 2023 - Kurunpa Kunpu | Strong Spirit - Fremantle Arts Centre, Fremantle, Australia.
- 2023 - Kurunpa Kunpu | Strong Spirit - Artbank for the National Gallery of Victoria's Melbourne Design Week, Melbourne, Australia.
- 2020 - Partu | Skin - Gallery Sally Dan-Cuthbert and Arc One Gallery for the National Gallery of Victoria's Melbourne Design Week, Melbourne, Australia.
- 2017 - Broached Monsters - Criteria for the National Gallery of Victoria's Melbourne Design Week, Melbourne, Australia.
- 2010 - 3d Stencil Melbourne - State of Design and Format Furniture, for the National Gallery of Victoria's Melbourne Design Week, Melbourne, Australia.
- 2009 - 3d Stencil Singapore - Substation Gallery, Singapore.
- 2005 - Tokyo Sign Project - Tokyo Design Tide, Harajuku, Tokyo, Japan.
- 2005 - Sydney Sign Project - Making It, Space Furniture, Sydney, Australia.
Selected Group Exhibitions
- 2023 - Venice Design Biennial - Venice, Italy.
- 2022 - We Change the World - National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, Australia.
- 2022 - History in the Making - National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, Australia.
- 2021 - Gallery All - ART021 - Shanghai, China.
- 2021 - Gallery All - JingArt - Beijing, China.
- 2020 - Hybrid: Objects for Future Homes - Powerhouse Museum, Sydney, Australia.
- 2019 - Galleria Rossana Orlandi – Salone del Mobile, Milan, Italy.
- 2018 - Design Storytellers : Broached Commissions - National Gallery of Victoria, Australia.
- 2017 - In Cahoots : Artists Collaborate Across Country - Fremantle Arts Centre, Australia.
- 2017 - Salon Art+Design - Gallery All, New York City, USA.
- 2017 - Ramsay Art Prize Exhibition – Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia.
- 2017 - Creating the Contemporary Chair - National Gallery of Victoria, Australia.
- 2016 - XX1T – 21st International Exhibition – Triennale Di Milano, Italy.
- 2016 - Porosity Kabari - Studio X, Columbia University, Mumbai, India.
- 2015 - Gallery All - Design Miami, USA.
- 2014 - Broached Retreat - Ullens Centre for Contemporary Art, Beijing, China.
- 2013 - Melbourne Now - National Gallery of Victoria, Australia.
- 2013 - Broached East - Sydney and Melbourne, Australia.
- 2011 - Broached Colonial - Sydney and Melbourne, Australia.
- 2010 - Matilda - London Design Festival, London, England.
- 2009 - Brit Insurance Designs of the Year Exhibition - London Design Museum, England.
- 2008 - Design Tide, Tokyo, Japan.
- 2008 - Bombay Sapphire Design Discovery - Object Gallery, Sydney, Australia.
- 2008 - Moooi, Super Studio, Salone Internazionale del Mobile, Milano, Italy.
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6011-1990
