A record number of design enthusiasts gathered at Joseph Walsh Studio in Cork on Saturday, September 14th, for Making In 2019. Throughout the day the audience, who had travelled from as far away as Canada and India to attend the event, were treated to talks and in-depth panel discussions presented by some of the most exciting voices in international design and art today. They included the celebrated Irish basket maker Joe Hogan, whose opening remarks provided a wonderful sense of place, Charles Renfro, partner at Diller Scofidio + Renfro, who provided an insight into some of DS+R’s most celebrated projects including the High Line, New York and The Broad, Los Angeles and Yvonne Farrell & Shelley McNamara of Grafton Architects who reflected on their curation of the 2018 Venice Architectural Biennale. US based artists Tom Joyce and Chris Schanck discussed their career and work while Sheila Loewe, President of the LOEWE Foundation, shared her future vision for the prestigious LOEWE Craft Prize. Jean-Paul Vaugoin spoke movingly about the silversmith history of his Viennese based family workshop, Jarosinski & Vaugoin, Dutch designer, Aldo Bakker discussed his work while Pietro Seminelli, who has been awarded the title Maître d’Art in France, shared the inspiration behind his beautiful creations.

Moderating the seminar was Glenn Adamson, whose previous roles have included Director of the Museum of Arts and Design, New York and Head of Research at the V&A Museum, London while individual panels were moderated by Alice Store Liechtenstein, the visionary founder of Schloss Hollenegg for Design and Christian Larson, who recently served as Associate Curator, Modern & Contemporary Art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

The brainchild of celebrated designer Joseph Walsh, Making In has now established itself as a major event in the international creative calendar attracting world-renowned architects, designers and curators to Cork to participate in a conversation on the culture of making – importantly from the point of view of the maker. Presented in the unique working environment of Joseph Walsh Studio, this event has successfully placed Ireland at the centre of a valuable creative dialogue. Speaking at the close of the event, Joseph reflected on the valuable insights shared by all the participants whose presence ensured that Making In 2019 was memorable day for all.