Design anthropologist, Trent Jansen will teach the ad hoc making and repair process of ‘Jugaad’ – the Indian notion of doing just enough with what you have on hand and figuring it out as you go. Over three hours, workshop participants will improvise with approaches to object making and repair based on what’s around and current moods. Alongside Trent, Canberra-based sculptor Jeremy Lepisto will help with workarounds, problem solving and to share his making knowledge.

This workshop is held in conjunction with the ‘Porosity Kabari’ exhibition at Nishi Gallery. This show displays the results of an interdisciplinary, cross-cultural project between Australian object designer Trent Jansen, artist/architect Richard Goodwin, and Indian design thinker Ishan Khosla. The trio worked over three weeks to produce furniture and object pieces made from materials sourced solely from the ‘Chor Bazaar’ (thieves market) and ‘Kabari Bazaars’ (junk markets) in Mumbai, India.

Our ‘Making Do’ Fix and Make series looks at alternative ways of making and repairing objects and is designed to encourage us to consider the objects that already surround us in new ways.

Trent Jansen

Is a designer based in Thirroul, New South Wales. Trent holds a Bachelor of Design from the College of Fine Arts, University of New South Wales in Sydney, spending a portion of his 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 a conceptual design studio in Sydney, before moving his practice to Thirroul on the New South Wales South Coast. Trent Jansen applies his conceptual method to the design of products and furniture for manufacturers including Moooi, DesignByThem and Tait Outdoor. This conceptual approach is also applied to the design of limited edition and one-off pieces for clients including the Molonglo Group and design galleries Broached Commissions and Gallery All.

Jeremy Lepisto

Jeremy Lepisto runs an independent glass studio in Queanbeyan, Workshop Level. Prior to moving to Australia in 2009, he co-founded Studio Ramp LLC in Portland, Oregon, USA. Both studios specialise in translating glass designs by artists, designers and architects into form. Jeremy is also an independent artist in his own right and has exhibited and presented talks and kilnforming workshops in the U.S. and internationally. He is a strong supporter of community collaboration and seeks out other speciality makers and craftspeople to help execute complex, one off designs. Jeremy, in turn, is sought out for his meticulous skills and high-level problem solving and capacity to direct multiple creatives to bring ideas into reality.

Image of 'Jugaad With Car Parts' by Trent Jansen shot by Neville Sukhia.