EXHIBITION: Schulim Krimper: mid-century artist and master craftsman

Installation view of the exhibition 'Schulim Krimper: mid-century artist and master craftsman', currently on show at Bayside Gallery, Brighton, Victoria. Photo: Mark Ashkanasy

The work of Schulim Krimper holds a distinctive and distinguished place within the field of mid-twentieth century Australian furniture design. Creating handcrafted timber furniture in a modern style, he offered an alternative to the mass-produced items on the market for those with a preference and budget for the unique. Krimper was a skilled craftsman whose training had instilled in him a respect for his materials as well as a desire for beauty and perfection. Arriving in Melbourne in 1939, he brought with him first-hand knowledge of European furniture traditions and contemporary international developments in design, the influence of which can be traced throughout his work.

A mid-century setting of Shulim Krimper's furniture shown at the exhibition. Photo: Mark Ashkanasy

Curated by Kirsty Grant, this exhibition presents a range of Krimper’s furniture from the 1940s to the 60s, including many pieces from private collections which have never been shown in public. From cocktail cabinets and desks to chairs and sideboards, Krimper made what he described as furniture for our own time and while it is redolent of the mid-century decades in which it was produced, his work has stood the test of time and today, is avidly collected as well as handed down through generations and treasured.

Krimper’s legacy has relevance to the design aesthetics evident in Bayside’s history of mid-century architecture and a number of lenders in Bayside have generously loaned works to the exhibition.

The exhibition runs until 24 August 2025 at Brighton Town Hall, Bayside Gallery, Cnr Wilson and Carpenter Streets, Brighton, Victoria.

Associated events

July 26, 3–4pm, floor talk with curator Kirsty Grant
August 2, 10am-12:00pm and 01:30pm-03:30pm, mid-century furniture restoration demonstration with Edwin Fox, multidisciplinary skilled restorer and artisan, specialising in mid-century furniture.
August 3, 2pm–4pm, Sketching Krimper with Billilla artist Sarah Mottram

Images courtesy Bayside Gallery, Brighton, Victoria

Learn more at www.bayside.vic.gov.au/krimper