FUSION Exhibition Opening: Art, Design and Spatial Experience at The Gladstone
By Angelina Mirabito, PhD
Introduction
On Friday 13 March 2026, Romulus Folio Gallery presented the opening of FUSION, an exhibition featuring the work of Mark Alexander, a highly regarded Australian luxury interior designer, artist and furniture manufacturer whose practice operates at the intersection of architecture, object and environment.
Held within the Tower B lobby at The Gladstone in South Melbourne, the opening marked a moment where contemporary art and design converged within a lived architectural setting. The evening brought together artists, architects, designers, residents and members of the broader creative community to experience a body of work that engages directly with space, material and light.
Opening Night Video
Filmed by Guy Holliday, the opening night video captures the atmosphere of the evening, documenting the movement of people through the space and the relationship between audience, object and environment as it unfolded in real time.
A Spatial Approach to Design
At the core of FUSION is Mark Alexander’s approach to design as a spatial and material practice. His work moves beyond the object as a singular entity, positioning furniture within a broader architectural composition.
Across the exhibition, surfaces, volumes and material finishes operate together to construct an environment. Light interacts with texture, edges define movement, and each element contributes to an overall spatial rhythm.
The works are experienced in relation to one another and to the architecture of the lobby itself. The exhibition extends beyond the gallery footprint, engaging directly with the surrounding built environment through scale, material and spatial composition.
While FUSION centres on Mark Alexander’s design practice, the exhibition also includes documentation from 'Flights of Love', an ongoing collaboration between Alexander and Angelina Mirabito. Developed through close conceptual exchange, this body of work translates architectural movement, spatial rhythm and material language into painterly form.
Within the exhibition, this documentation operates as a connective layer, revealing how the logic of Alexander’s interior environments extends into artistic process. Rather than functioning as a separate presentation, it reinforces the shared spatial and conceptual framework that underpins the exhibition as a whole.
Opening Address: Mayor Alex Makin
We were honoured to welcome Mayor Alex Makin, who officially opened the exhibition.
In his address, Mayor Makin spoke to the evolving cultural identity of Fishermans Bend and the role that spaces such as Romulus Folio Gallery play in shaping the precinct’s cultural life. His remarks acknowledged the importance of embedding artistic and creative practices within new urban developments, ensuring that culture forms part of the city as it grows.
Artist Insights: Mark Alexander
Mark Alexander shared insights into his practice through his opening speech and conversations throughout the evening.
He spoke about the relationship between material, form and spatial experience, and the importance of designing environments that are resolved at every level, from object to architecture. His work reflects a commitment to craftsmanship, material integrity and the careful orchestration of space.
The exhibition presents this approach within a gallery context, where furniture and design are presented as part of a broader spatial and material investigation.
The Gallery as a Living Environment
The opening night highlighted the role of Romulus Folio Gallery as an activated, living environment. Located within a residential lobby, the gallery operates as a threshold between public and private, art and everyday life.
Throughout the evening, this condition became fully visible as guests moved through the space as participants within an environment shaped by design, material and human presence.
This dynamic reflects the gallery’s curatorial approach, where exhibitions are conceived not only as visual presentations, but as spatial and social experiences embedded within the architecture of the site.
Acknowledgements
We extend our thanks to:
Mark Alexander for his collaboration and contribution to the exhibition
Mayor Alex Makin for officially opening the exhibition and ongoing support of the arts and culture in the community
Louisa Chu (University of Melbourne) for her contribution as an intern
Guy Holliday for filming and documenting the evening
Beverages generously provided by The Gladstone @haikulife_au
Exhibition Details
FUSION
4–28 March 2026
Romulus Folio Gallery
55 Gladstone Street
South Melbourne
Opening Hours
Wednesday–Friday 12pm–7pm
Saturday–Sunday 12pm–5pm
Closing Reflection
FUSION demonstrates the capacity for contemporary practice to operate across art, design and architecture.
Through Mark Alexander’s work, and in dialogue with Flights of Love, the exhibition reveals how objects, materials and spatial composition can be brought together to form environments that are both resolved and experiential.
The opening night offered a clear articulation of this approach, as the gallery became a site of encounter between people, space and design.