The light inside 41 Derby Street, Collingwood isn’t just afternoon sun. Ilan El’s glass sculptures are changing the way the room feels. Walk in and the space shifts: colours pool on walls and forms dissolve before your eyes. This is Goldstone Gallery, hosting four solo exhibitions by contemporary Jewish artists as part of Melbourne Design Week 2026.
The shows opened on 14 May and run until 14 June, bringing together Ilan El, Deborah Wargon, Chaya Joffe and Ryan Abramowitz. No bookings are needed. Entry is free. You just walk in.
A gallery spokesperson said the concurrent exhibitions create “a powerful presence of contemporary Jewish artists whose practices are connected through themes of light and shadow, transformation, ritual and the poetics of handmade form.”
Ilan El’s luminous glass works anchor the Form & Phenomenon exhibition. They turn the gallery into an immersive light field that changes how you perceive the room itself. Private viewings are available by appointment from 18 to 21 May for anyone wanting a deeper look. Contact the gallery directly to arrange one.
In the same space, Deborah Wargon explores light and shadow through material forms, while Chaya Joffe and Ryan Abramowitz present ceramic vessels and Jewish ritual objects grounded in ceremony and everyday life. The four practices read less like a group show and more like a slow, deliberate conversation about memory, transformation and the handmade.
The gallery remains open until 14 June, and the Design Week Fitzroy-Collingwood trail makes it an easy stop among several nearby venues.
If you assumed a design festival would be ticketed or exclusive, this gallery flips that expectation. No bookings are required, and the door stays open during gallery hours across the full run. Missed the opening? The works are still up and the lighting hasn’t dimmed.
That intimacy sets Goldstone Gallery apart from larger multi-venue Design Week trails. Rather than a single group show or a sprawling program, four concurrent solo exhibitions under one roof let the works speak to each other directly. The focus on Jewish cultural narratives adds depth that you won’t find in every design-week showcase.
Getting there is straightforward. Tram routes 86 and 96 stop on Smith Street, a short walk from the gallery. Collingwood station is about five minutes on foot. After the show, Gertrude Street’s cafes and Smith Street’s bars make it easy to stay in the neighbourhood. The gallery sits on the official Fitzroy-Collingwood Design Week trail, so you can string together a full afternoon of exhibitions.
The exhibitions close on 14 June 2026. Private viewings for Ilan El’s work end on 21 May. If you move quickly, you can still catch that behind-the-scenes access. Otherwise, the light is there every day until winter settles in.
Quick Facts
Goldstone Gallery
Goldstone Gallery is a Collingwood-based contemporary art space that presents exhibitions by Jewish artists exploring themes of light, ritual and material memory. It participates in major Melbourne cultural events including Design Week to foster community connections and cultural dialogue.