Q&A WITH MARNI KORNHAUSER
Benny: Hey Marni, firstly… can you please give us your job title and a brief overview of your career and how you got to be where you’re at?
Marni: I am an Art Director & a Production Designer. I actually started out in PR at the Melbourne Film Festival and realised the job itself wasn't for me - but the film industry was! I worked as a standby props assistant, props master & dresser on TV shows and Films in Melbourne for 6 years before heading to Sydney to work on some larger feature films. I came back to Melbourne and decided to take a creative-life-break from the Industry for a couple of years to recharge my batteries. I then slowly started to get back into it - art directing social content films, television commercials and Music Videos, where I've been developing a strong network & art department team for the past 6 years. This year however, has been my most challenging, exciting and unexpected. I designed 'Why Are You Like This' a 6 part Netflix/ Abc Tv series due for release in 2021, and I'm currently art directing a feature film with a wonderfully inspiring crew.
BC: What do you call this space?
MK: Pattern Paradise?!
BC: There’s a distinct 50’s/60’s inspired vibe with your set. Does this aesthetic translate through into your day to day work?
MK: I've never been tied to one particular period, but I think the combination of pattern & colour is what translates to my day to day work and represents my general life aesthetic.
BC: What’s your favourite piece? Why?
MK: My 1960's Italian armchairs - they were a surprise ebay win!
BC: What was your process creating this set and did your initial idea translate through to the finished set?
MK: From the start I wanted to do a wallpaper wall and floor with my own furniture to compliment - so it felt like a stylised version of my home. I started with the original 60's wallpaper I found and worked back from there - though I really wasn't sure how it would turn out! I have the most fun having lots of options and playing with the layout when you build a set on the day.
BC: Tell us about your colour pallet choices.
MK: The dressings are from my home so naturally the pallet has warm tones... I've always been drawn to red's and pinks. I felt like cream would be a soft base and a way to tie in the wallpaper to the armchair pattern, which is quite clashy!
BC: Who is the photographer of the image on the wall?
MK: Abi Varney. She kindly lent me this image to use in our main set on 'Why Are You Like This' so I had to keep it! My home is mostly a collection of art work, furniture and objects from the jobs I've worked on.
BC: Tell us about the books you chose.
MK: 'Gold Coast - A Tale Of Unexpected Menace' By Ying Ang, a dear friend. It's a visual essay of the place we grew up - 'a sunny place for shady people.' It's beautiful and it makes me laugh.
'032.c' Magazine, a visual reference gift from my pal's Adam and Jessie at CKOL.
'Vitamin p2 - New perspectives in painting' by Barry Schwabsky - also a gift and old reference favourite.
BC: There’s a theme of circles in your set, ie. couches, wallpaper, fruit, coffee table, shelves, lights… was this considered?
MK: Yes I did consider this. I realise I am much more at ease with curved edges in the objects, furniture and architecture that surrounds me.
BC: How was it being in front of the camera?
MK: Agh! It was quite a challenge tbh. I'm not super comfortable posing for a project especially with me as the subject. I'm glad we did it but I was much more relaxed when I was at the top of my ladder pulling the wallpaper down!
