CRITERIA and C.Gallery founder and creative director Rachael Fry has rapidly carved out a niche and firm following among designers, architects and lovers of good design. Her design training at Parsons School of Design sharpened her eye for design across multiple disciplines and informs her multidimensional curatorial approach. As the visionary curator of two exceptional Melbourne gallery spaces, who better to elaborate on the design details of Pierre Yovanovitch Mobilier collection? 

Having grown up surrounded by the remarkable design spaces of Palm Springs, Fry honed her industry experience working as an art director in New York. The experimental approach of local New York designers and galleries was pivotal to CRITERIA and C.Gallery, where Fry has edited a progressive, innovative collection of designers in a pioneering setting. The continued success of CRITERIA’s part gallery, part showroom vision confirms the ongoing appetite for unique objects of beauty, cementing Fry as a leading authority on local and international design.  

Paw 1 / Paw 2 Fabricated in collaboration with renowned French ceramicist Armelle Benoit, these sconces exemplify the playful and optimistic characteristics that run through Yovanovitch’s collection. Equally suited as a pair to flank an entry space or fireplace, or as a single sconce with enough individuality to hold its own and become a piece of art

Leaf sconce Deceptively simple, this sconce elevates the material of glass and provides an inviting glow. Fabricated by expert glass artisans using the traditional method of crystal cutting, Yovanovitch embraces the unexpected features that appear on the surface and are unique to each piece of glass. Conveniently, this piece comes in both ‘flat’ and ‘curved’ glass versions. 

Honeymoon Sconce Playing on geometry and abstract forms, this sconce has a charming and cheeky quality and invites you to look closer at the features of its materiality, the subtlety of its detailing and its slightly irregular shaping.

Franka sconce I love the contrast between the softness of the glass and the roughness of the textured wrought iron, yet how similarities appear in the materials as they have been shaped by the hands of the artisans who work meticulously on these pieces.

The recently opened new gallery space is located in a historic late-19th-century building and former hotel in the heart of the South Yarra shopping district. We highly recommend a visit the next time you’re in the area. 

Photography of the CRITERIA by Sean Fennessy

Get to know more about Rachael Fry