Luminous Realms

Craft

31 Flinders Lane Melbourne 3000

10 December 2016 - 11 February 2017

Luminous Realms, a major solo exhibition by acclaimed Australian artist Kate Rohde, sees the Craft exhibition space transformed into a hallucinatory Wunderkammer or ‘Cabinet of Curiosities’ to present an immersive installation of newly created and retrospective ornamental vitrines brimming with artificial flora and fauna, faux taxidermy, assemblages, and zoomorphic sculptural vessels.

Luminous Realms makes reference to a uniquely baroque approach of layering decorative patterning across multiple objects, wall coverings and soft furnishings which sees the gallery walls covered in visually elaborate, synthetically surfaced wallpaper designed exclusively for Craft. Cultivated from Rohde’s object based practice, these uniquely developed wall designs of cascading pastel hair, darkly luminescent zoological animal motifs, and autumnal botanical gardens of small resin gems and golden coloured icing filigree, work to create a kaleidoscopic immersive environment that elaborates on interior traditions.

In Luminous Realms, Rohde’s work subverts notions of value and preciousness while drawing parallels between traditional art and craft technologies through a commentary on contemporary digital design and the use of the most pervasive synthetic materials of the 20th Century.

This exhibition marks the launch of Craft’s contemporary showcase Focus on Craft and is the first iteration of a dedicated exhibition program which recognises the careers of outstanding exhibiting artists whose works are embedded in craft materiality and technique.