Embark - Pieces of Eight

12 September 2024

Embark marks the intersection of jewellery, perfumery and art, celebrating imagination and adventure. It tells a story of fearless creativity, as we unveil our brand new Pieces of Eight Parfum: a quest of discovery and artistic expression in collaboration with Strati Parfums, bespoke makers of fine fragrance.

The fragrance transports the wearer across oceans in search of exquisite riches and hidden paradise, encapsulating the spirit of voyage. In response, 20 contemporary Australian artists present jewellery and objects that respond to these concepts, capturing the very essence of Pieces of Eight: imagination, adventure, and the pursuit of rare and precious treasures.

Timed with the arrival of Spring and the revitalisation of our Russell Place gallery, the installation features a luxurious and creative display of flowers by Crushes Studio. Highlighting additional themes of renewal, rebirth, abundance and fresh beginnings, Embark celebrates the spirit of discovery and creativity, and is presented as part of the Radiant Pavilion Contemporary Jewellery & Object Biennial.

The exhibition will be displayed over the two Melbourne gallery locations:
28 Russell Place
Friday 13 & Saturday 14 September
Monday 16 - Wednesday 18 September

Shop 27, Royal Arcade
335 Bourke Street
Thursday 19 September - Saturday 28 September

The Radiant Archive - Pieces of Eight

18 July 2024

Step into a world where natural history meets ornate decorative arts: The Radiant Archive brings together a selection of resin artworks produced by Kate Rohde over the past ten years. 

Inspired by her deep appreciation for natural history and the opulent aesthetics of eras such as the Rococo period, these sculptural works showcase Kate Rohde’s visionary artistry, exquisite craftsmanship, and unique perspectives on colour, opulence and luxury.

The Radiant Archive features a number of unique one-off items commissioned for display by Pieces of Eight at the Melbourne Design Fair, 2023; also those created for her Hermès Sydney window and store installation, as well as a selection of functional vessels.

Tessa Blazey’s Kindred Spirits at Pieces of Eight - Melbourne Design Week

14 May 2024

'Kindred Spirits' explores the rich and intricate relationships of iconic fictional cinematic partnerships, both romantic and platonic, through the artistry of Tessa Blazey's jewellery design.

Tessa Blazey is inspired by the geometric structures of natural crystals. She experiments with sculptural forms through the use of unusually shaped gemstones and curious settings to house them. Her jewellery reflects the personas of her favourite film heroes and villainesses, appearing simultaneously ancient and futuristic as they echo the aesthetic of the films they reference.

Kate Rohde has created limited edition resin jewellery boxes for the pieces in the show, which are also available for purchase by custom order, in four colourways.

MAF x Alpha60 bag collab

22 February 2024

Kate Rohde is one of three artists who have collaborated with celebrated Melbourne fashion label (and huge art fans) Alpha60. Launched at the 2024 Melbourne Art Fair, the collaboration was sparked by the idea of creating a bag that represented the artists’ work but also their personality or their use of a bag. The other two artist are Mikala Dwyer and Lottie Consalvo. The bags are all available to purchase via the Alpha60 website and in store at select locations.

1001 Remarkable Objects - Exhibition extended

10 December 2023

With news that the Powerhouse Museum at Ultimo will shut early next year for extensive renovations the current exhibition 1001 Remarkable Objects has been extended until February 4 2024. Kate Rohde’s Deer Vase is currently on display in the exhibition as well as being part of the permanent collection.

Infinite Rainbow - Hermes Sydney window takeover

1 December 2023

Kate Rohde was invited to develop a window concept for the Sydney Hermes store for display across the 2023-24 festive / summer season. Infinite Rainbow has taken over the store window as well as having several smaller displays of objects throughout the store. Now showing until February 2024, the window can be viewed 24/7 and instore elements during regular store hours.

Myth Making with Troy Emery at MRAG

1 December 2023

Kate Rohde & Troy Emery have developed a second iteration of the exhibition Myth Making, originally exhibited at Horsham Regional Art Gallery in 2022. now showing at Maitland Regional Art Gallery until March 3 2024.

Strange Nature at QVMAG

28 September 2023

Now showing until April 14 2024 Strange Nature immerses you into the art of major contemporary artists, both local and national, to display the weird and wonderful facets of the natural world that inspire their versions of plants and animals. Along side specimens from the QVMAG natural history collection are works by Troy Emery, Kate Rohde, Samantha Dennis, Tom O’Hern, Milan Milojevic, Laura E Kennedy, Helene Boyer & Vanessa Newton-Brown

Vessel, an elemental perfume project

October 2 2023

Four fragrances.
Four artists.
One imagineer.

Vessel is a multi-sensory perfume project aimed at celebrating art and beauty, whilst challenging outdated perfume traditions. In premiering his first four fragrance creations, perfume writer, speaker and historian Dimitri Dimitriadis has resisted conventional avenues to market, circumventing bricks and mortar and e-commerce sales platforms in favour of a more curatorial, aesthetic approach.

Dimitri has appointed four local and national artists, Kate Rohde, Ish Marrington, Charmaine Ball & Mira Dimitriadis, whom are innovators in their field – each one equipped with their own tools, methods and materials – and has asked them to craft five vessels each which will hold a volume of perfume; an extrait: perfume’s most concentrated and luxurious manifestation.

The exhibition runs from October 2 - 6 2023 at Gallery Central, 12 Aberdeen Street Perth 6000

Flourish and In the company of Morris

18 July 2023

Kate Rohde has several works in the exhibitions Flourish and In the company of Morris now showing at Glen Eira City Gallery until August 13 and the Art Gallery of Ballarat until August 6

Whence it came now showing at Divisions Gallery

31 March 2023

Divisions Gallery is proud to present ‘Whence It Came’, opening 31 March.

‘Whence it came’ includes ten artists whose practices hark back to early myths or historical times. Touching on everything from dreamscapes to antiquity, ‘Whence It Came’ is an eclectic and playful look at many points of origin.

Artists include: Jordan Wood, Georgia Harvey, Marina Mason, Kate Rohde, Valentina Palonen, Mark McCarthy, Joshua Simpson (courtesy of Studio Gallery Group), Marion Abraham (courtesy of Sullivan + Strumpf), Aylsa McHugh and Saskia Bunce-Rath. The exhibition continues until April 30.

Fifty / 50 now showing at NERAM

6 February 2023

It’s NERAM’s 40th anniversary and to celebrate they have brought back an old NERAM tradition, the Fifty/ 50. Conceived by previous NERAM Director, Joe Eisenberg, the Fifty/ 50 is an exhibition, it’s a raffle, and it’s a fundraiser for the Art Museum. Artists have donated artworks that are up for grabs in a progressive raffle that will be drawn at the conclusion of the exhibition. If your name gets drawn out first, you get first pick from all of the artworks on display, and so on until the last person drawn gets the last artwork remaining. Now showing until March 12

Summer shows at MRAG & Riddoch Arts & Cultural Centre

10 December 2022

Kate is presenting two solo shows over Summer 22-23. Now showing at Maitland Regional Art Gallery is Monster Mash, an interactive exhibition for kids. First developed in 2018 for exhibition at Benalla Art Gallery it has been reworked for MRAG. At the Riddoch Arts & Cultural Centre A Pretty Folly is current until January 22 2023, featuring a range of old and new works, Kate has created a vibrant immersive environment of sculptures and digital prints.

Myth making now showing at Horsham Regional Art Gallery

16 July 2022

Myth making is now showing at Horsham Regional Art Gallery. A collaboration between Kate Rohde and Troy Emery. With a long term interest in animal motifs and forms, historical museum display, decorative arts and antiquities, Kate Rohde & Troy Emery present an explosion of colour and ideas. Creating a new body of work inspired by classical European myths but linking with ideas and places within the Wimmera, Myth Making is a reimagining of the Western Victorian landscape, classical forms and gallery aesthetics. On show until October 16 2022

Creature comforts at Frankston Art Centre

6 May 2022

Creature comforts is now showing at Frankston Art Centres as part of the Southside Festival. On display in the Cube 37 space, visible 24 / 7 until July 2

Octopus 22: Baroquetopus at Gertrude Contemporary

9 April 2022

Now showing at Gertrude contemporary Octopus 22 is curated by Tessa Laird, artist, writer and Lecturer in Critical and Theoretical Studies at the School of Art, Victorian College of the Arts, University of Melbourne.

Laird's exhibition is playfully titled Octopus 22: Baroquetopus (Humanimal entanglements and tentacular spectaculars). Baroquetopus is a neologism uniting human aesthetic languages with the natural world, affirming the continuum of culture in nature, and nature in culture. Just as the Baroque period was one of sensory overload, this exhibition features artworks that activate the senses, as well as immersive visual elements that transform the gallery and foyer spaces of Gertrude Contemporary into a vibrant ecology, fostering sensory, aesthetic, and ethical entanglements.

The Octopus 22 artists are Baluk Arts, Gina Bundle, Ivor Cantrill, Debris Facility Pty Ltd, Lichen Kelp, Ani O'Neill, Kate Rohde, Peter Waples-Crowe and Sebastian Wiedemann

We were made for these times at Lismore Regional Gallery

5 February 2022

Kate Rohde and Kath Egan share an interest in the memory and associations in objects, subverting this with playful twists and changing our relationship to these loaded items. The artists created new work for We were made for these times in response to the personal and universal experience of upheaval and discontent experienced through the pandemic. The exhibition speaks to realm of the psyche, conjuring memories and concepts materialised in form. While several of the works are somewhat gothic in nature expressing a Victorian memento mori-melancholy, there are also pieces of optimism and hope. The works signal a glitch whilst the artists searched for equilibrium and meaning during this tumultuous time.

The exhibition continues until March 27 2022

Hundreds & Thousands at Fremantle Art Centre

20 November 2021

Hundreds & Thousands sees the galleries transformed into colour-filled worlds, with vibrant interactive artworks and immersive spaces designed for children and families to enjoy.

Across a spectrum of colour-themed spaces, Hundreds & Thousands offers rich sensory experiences for kids of all ages, including optical colour machines, giant golden soft sculptures to touch and participatory digital art that visitors create with their bodies.

Hundreds & Thousands is an invitation on a journey through art and colour, featuring newly commissioned artworks by Rosie Deacon, Sohan Ariel Hayes, Tyrown Waigana, Catherine Taylor, Phil Gamblen and Angela Ferolla.

A number of Kate Rohde’s pieces from the Ornament Crimes series are included in the exhibition, and the FAC foyer is adorned with the Crystal Candy wallpaper design.

Black & Gold at Warrnambool Art Gallery

23 October 2021

What we regard as precious usually glints and glitters, or comes from a rarity or a unique craft of expression. In a world of fast consumables 'Black & Gold' is a discount brand, giving its name to cheap and easily attainable products. The 'Black' may be dark, but the 'Gold' is garish yellow. In a play on how we perceive value through this coupling of colour, WAG has delved into its own collection and added works from private collections to present a show embracing the true value of black and gold as colours, substances, definitions of ideas and forms. From Guan Wei we see a delicate form reaching for the clouds, a playful gesture, in contrast to Kate Rohde's Black Mirror which pulls you into the elegance of darkness. On show from October 6 - 30 January 2022

Siren Songs now showing at Pieces of Eight Gallery

4 August 2021

Tessa Blazey, Emma Homfray and Kate Rohde have produced a new body of work inspired by stories of the mythical Sirens. Often represented as irresistible mermaids luring men to their earthly destruction, the three draw parallels to their unique styles which are connected by feminine and fantastical imaginings. The three have distinct styles which are renowned for producing objects with a powerful, seductive quality. Blazey, Homfray and Rohde have been close friends for several years now and are excited to finally be creating a jointly envisioned body of work. Blazey presents a capsule collection of jewellery inspired by cinematic sirens and mermaids including O Brother, Where Art Thou, Splash, Mermaids and The Lighthouse. Working with an oceanic inspired palette of gems; aquamarines, emeralds and sapphires. Homfray has created a suite of seductive small bronze sculptures, utilising her signature gold leaf finish. Rohde has made a new series of vessels and a small selection of jewellery, made from resin, glazed ceramic and bronze, in a range of pastel pearlescent colours.

Obsessed: Compelled to make extended at Ararat Gallery TAMA

August 4 2021

Obsessed: Compelled to make’s stop at Ararat Gallery TAMA has been extended until September 5 2021.

Obsessed: Compelled to make now showing at Ararat Gallery TAMA

5 May 2021

Now on show at Ararat Gallery TAMA in regional Victoria until July 18 2021, Obsessed: Compelled to make explores the preoccupations that drive the creative process, providing an insight into the working practices of fifteen artists from across Australia. Moving beyond the finished work, this project tells the hidden stories of making, uncovering the artists’ inspirations, day-to-day studio experiences, hours of expertise, and the joys and frustrations of obsession.

Sculpture Co. edition launch

3 December 2020

Working across a range of techniques, materials, sizes and styles, Sculpture Co. launched its inaugural collection on November 29th, 2020, featuring the work of Patrizia Biondi, Tom Borgas, Peter D. Cole, Mascha Moje, Michael Needham, Louise Paramor, Kate Rohde, Natalie Ryan and Jason Waterhouse.

All works are realised in an edition of 8. The sculptures are made to order and require a 6-8 week production time. Kate Rohde reworked her 2015 resin Mutant kitten vase design into a functional candelabra which has been cast in bronze and finished with a black patina and gold pigment highlights.

Now Showing & online store updated

15 August 2020

Obsessed: Compelled to make is now showing at the Cowra Regional Art Gallery in regional NSW until September 13. Victoria is currently in Stage 4 Covid-19 lockdown, but the Kate Rohde online store is open and has just been restocked. All purchases will be sent via mail. Private lessons have been put on hold and removed from the store for the time being, but will return sometime in the future…..

Now Showing…

30 January 2020

Sublime Sea: Rapture and Reality at MPRG, Obsessed: Compelled to make at Tamworth Regional Gallery & Little Gems extended at MAMA

Kate Rohde’s work Coral Vanitas is being exhibited in the group show Sublime Sea: Rapture and Reality, a spectacular immersive exhibition about the power of the sea in human imagination. Through superb examples of paintings, sculpture, photography, film and the decorative arts, the exhibition evokes the overwhelming experience of nature, from intrepid journeys and mysterious grottos to the infinite space of the ocean. It is on until February 23, 2020 - a perfect place to cool down during the hot Victorian summer!

Obsessed: Compelled to make continues it’s tour during 2020, and will be commencing it’s next showing at Tamworth Regional Gallery on February 8th.

Little Gems at MAMA, originally set to conclude in December 2019 has been extended until June 28 2020 - still lots of time to discover the delightful wonder cupboards throughout the gallery!

Little Gems & Eternally Ephemeral

11 October 2019

Little gems at MAMA, Eternally Ephemeral at TRGMOAC and Obsessed: Compelled to make at Port Macquarie Glasshouse Gallery

Kate currently has new work in two exhibitions, as well as three large vessels from the Ornament Crimes series in the ADC travelling show Obsessed: Compelled to make, which is at the Port Macquarie Glasshouse Gallery from September 28 - November 24 2019.

Finkelstein Gallery launch exhibition

28 August 2019

Finkelstein Gallery has opened in Melbourne this week. Kate Rohde is one of ten artists being represented by the gallery.

The gallery exists to represent, promote and exhibit a small, carefully selected group of established and emerging artists.

Located in an industrial basement space in High Street, Prahran, Finkelstein Gallery hosts an annual exhibition program and a revolving stockroom of available works.

It is dedicated to fostering a warm and welcoming environment that encourages broader and deeper engagement with contemporary art.

See further press about the gallery at the links below

https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/art-and-design/no-victim-gallery-for-female-artists-opens-20190821-p52jgb.html

https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2019/aug/23/australia-first-gallery-female-artists-finkelstein-melbourne

https://www.broadsheet.com.au/melbourne/art-and-design/article/finklestein-gallery-industrial-basement-prahran-new-women-only-art-space

NGVWA Fundraiser Event Art of Dining 2019

22 April 2019

NGV Women’s Association presents Art of Dining: Best of the Best 2019 bringing together 44 spectacular tables designed by Australia’s leading artists, interior designers, couturiers, florists, stylists and retailers. Visitors will view tables from the whimsical to the avant-garde celebrating creativity and innovation in dining design. A stellar line up of Creatives are generously donating their rare and wonderful talent including Flack Studio, Craft Victoria, Flowers Vasette and Hecker Guthrie.

This is a major fundraising event for the NGV and supports the purchase of major acquisitions for the permanent collection.

Kate Rohde will be presenting a table using her vessels as a centrepiece, and a number of specially created bespoke wares.

Tables will be on view in the NGV Great Hall – Thu 2 May and Fri 3 May, 10am-5pm & Thu 2 May 6-9pm

Tickets for the viewings are now available and cost $35.00

Creative women in conversation - Duldig Studio

8 March 2019

Supported by the City of Stonnington, Creative Women in Conversation is Duldig Studio’s discussion series based around the exhibition SLAWA: modernist art + design. Inspired by the inventiveness of Slawa Horowitz-Duldig and presented by leading creative practitioners and local business women, the talks focus on themes represented in the exhibition and the links to contemporary art and design thinking and practice. In October 2017 Kate chatted on the topic of sculpture with Leah Justin, co-founder of the Justin Art House Museum, and this conversation is now available as a podcast via this link or from the Duldig Studio website.

Kate Rohde in REMIX - Pageant x Piece of Eight

28 February 2019

Independent Australian fashion label PAGEANT presents a select collection of archival garments, adorned & embellished by a group of jewellers at Pieces of Eight Gallery. The jewellers include Hamish Munro, Seb Brown, Yuko Fujita, Jeremy Bryant and Kate Rohde.

Embracing a spirit of artistic collaboration which defines & drives the creative ethos of both PAGEANT & Pieces of Eight Gallery, these garments provide an artistic canvas to be reinterpreted and re-contextualised by the hands of jewellery artists, presenting new ways to consider adorning the body.

Lightweight mesh is a cornerstone material in every PAGEANT collection, which serves to create an alternate vision of femininity that is fresh, fierce and current. Remixed through the individual reinterpretations of contemporary jewellers, these pieces are given new life through a series of artistic embellishments and presented in a window installation at Pieces of Eight Gallery. The exhibition is on from 28 February - March 21 2019

Obsessed: Compelled to make at Artspace Mackay

22 February 2019

Obsessed: Compelled to make is now on at Artspace Mackay until May 19. This Australian Design Centre touring exhibition explores the preoccupations that drive the creative process, moving beyond the finished work, to tell the hidden stories of making, uncovering the artists ’inspirations, day-to-day studio experiences, hours of expertise, and the joys and frustrations of obsession. These makers have been chosen from across the spectrum of making – textiles, ceramics,  furniture, metalwork, jewellery, conceptual art, glass blowing and sculptural weaving. Obsessed features Gabriella Bisetto, Lorraine Connelly-Northey, Honor Freeman, Jon Goulder, Kath Inglis,  Laura McCusker, Elliat Rich and James B Young (Elbowrkshp), Kate Rohde, Oliver Smith, Vipoo Srivilasa, Tjunkaya Tapaya, Louise Weaver and Liz Williamson.

Floribunda at Newcastle Art Gallery

9 February 2019

Kate’s piece Live Forever #3 is included in Floribunda which features diverse works of art drawn exclusively from the Newcastle Art Gallery collection across mediums such as drawing, painting, photography and sculpture by practitioners dating from the 1800s to the present day. The depiction of the floral in art has been an enduring theme for artists of all eras and genres. Latin for ‘many flowers’ Floribunda is an exhibition that also represents contemporary practitioners who are drawn to flora as an allegory for broader concerns; including birth, death, sex, the environment and connection to Country.
Other artists in the exhibition include WB Gould, Tom Roberts, Margaret Preston, Ellis Rowan, Thea Proctor, Peter Madden, Tamara Dean, Michael Zavros, Danie Mellor, Emily Kame Kngwarreye and Gloria Petyarre. The exhibition runs from February 9 – April 28, 2019

Live forever #3 2010 by Kate Rohde

Summer shows in regional VIC & NSW

10 December 2018

2018 is ending in a rush of activity with three shows on during the December 2018 - February 2019 period. Monster Mash, an interactive exhibition for kids of all ages is now on at Benalla Art Gallery Curiouser & Curiouser begins on December 14 at Bathurst Regional Art Gallery and is inspired by Alice in Wonderland, and Obsessed: Compelled to make continues on it’s tour at Lake Macquarie City Art Gallery

BODW Hong Kong

3 December 2018

Business of Design Week Hong Kong is on from December 3 - 8 and has paired with Melbourne to present a number of events showcasing Melbourne designers across a range of creative fields. Kate’s jewellery and vessel work is included in We are luxury curated by Virginia Dowzer and the Melbourne Pavillion Shared Values exhibition curated by Eoin McEwan and Phip Murray.

Craftivism at SAM

24 November 2018

Craftivism. Dissident objects and subversive forms is now open at Shepparton Art Museum until February 17, 2019. Featuring the work of several Australian artists and collectives with Craft orientated practices it’s well worth a trip to Shepparton, approximately a 2 hour drive north of Melbourne.

Online shop now open!

19 October 2018

The first items in the Kate Rohde online shop are now available, more items will be added ASAP.

Mayoral Chain at Wangaratta Art Gallery

15 September 2018

The Mayoral Chain exhibition is now on show at Wangaratta Art Gallery. First developed by Craft Victoria in 2016 as a response to the City of Melbourne Mayoral Chain, the show has travelled to a number of regional Victorian towns where local chains and artists have further expanded the exhibition as an exploration of ideas of civic pride and identity. The show is on at Wangaratta from September 1 until November 18 2018.

Wholeness and the implicit order by Julia deVille 

5 September 2018

Renowned artist and jeweller Julia deVille's expansive exhibition Wholeness and the implicit order is on show until November 4 at Linden New Art  Kate worked with Julia to produce several unique elements for the exhibition including the elaborate cabinet pictured below for the piece Mother is my monarch

Deakin Small Sculpture Prize 2018

27 July 2018

Kate is one of 40 artists shortlisted for the 2018 Deakin Small Sculpture Prize, an acquisitive prize worth $10,000. The finalists exhibition will take place from 5 September - 19 October 2018 at Deakin University Art Gallery Burwood Campus.

Romance Was Born

26 June 2018

Thames and Hudson have recently published the book Romance was Born, a wide ranging survey of the exquisite work of Sydney fashion designers Luke Sales and Anna Plunkett. Kate collaborated with RWB on their SS 2010/11 collection Renaissance Dinosaur, which is included in the book. 

Fabulous Creatures 

1 June 2018

Kate was one of three artists recently featured on the series  Fabulous Creatures made for ABC Arts. Produced by Will Huxley, the series explored animals as the inspiration for art making.

The other artists featured are Troy Emery and Tarryn Gill, and the series is available to view on demand via ABC Iview.

This Wild Song

1 March 2018

Kate Rohde recently posed for a portrait by Ilona Nelson as part of This Wild Song. The location was The Johnston Collection in East Melbourne, where Kate has been involved in several exhibitions and events in the past. 

About This Wild Song

This Wild Song (TWS) is a series of portraits and interviews with Australian women visual artists who have a unique voice.

The theme of the portraits is for the artist to become a part of their work. The photographs also hold the intention of creating an honest and true depiction of who the artist is as a person. Every portrait has a specific concept created for the artist, and significance is placed on all elements within the photograph in relation to the artist and their practice.

TWS celebrates the strong female leaders in the arts community. Although the artists being featured are from varying backgrounds, use a diverse range of mediums, and at different stages of their arts career; they are unified by their unique voices and distinct style. The inclusion of so many artistic mediums in TWS offers a broad synopsis of contemporary Australian art.

The Jealous Curator

9 September 2016

Kate was a guest of Danielle Krysa AKA 'The Jealous Curator' to talk all things art and art making on her weekly podcast with only occasional interruptions from 4 month old Tristan. you can find the episode via this link http://www.thejealouscurator.com/blog/2016/09/09/dont-discount-small-opportunities/