Exhibition

27.10.06 - 18.11.06
Front Gallery
Kate Rohde
Some kind of empire
Supported by Rohde Smash Repairs and Solid Solutions

Papier-mache stags, plasticine foxes, faux-fur squirrels and polystyrene-filled peacocks are just some of the curiosities that have appeared in Kate Rohde’s opulent museum styled exhibits in recent years. This month, the Melbourne-based sculptor and installation artist will continue her longstanding investigations into the history and aesthetics of natural history museums, transforming the diorama-like space of Gertrude’s Front Gallery into an expansive, Rococo styled trophy-room amassed with handcrafted, faux-taxidermy animals and exotic floral arrangements.

Rohde’s quirky and kitsch installation will explore the spiritual, mythological, and symbolic meanings invested in wildlife, and the human desire to create and control nature for educational and aesthetic purposes. Having recently returned from a residency in Arnhem Land, the installation will refer to the manifold histories and cultures of collecting, and to the commodification of nature in western society.

Kate Rohde holds a BA Fine Arts (Honours) from the VCA. Recent solo exhibitions include ‘Vicious Precious’, Latrobe Regional Gallery, Morwell, 2006; ‘Chateau Fatale’, Westspace, Melbourne, 2005; and ‘Perfect Specimen’, Kaliman Gallery, Sydney, 2004. Rohde is represented by Kaliman Gallery, Sydney.