The inspiration for this piece is a natural history engraving of a strange kitten with a single head and two bodies. A mysterious specimen never defined as a real mutant or a fictitious work of creative taxidermy intended as a strange curio.

Mutant kitten candelabra is based on an earlier work from the 2015 'Ornament Crimes' collection, where it was originally fashioned as a vase. In this iteration, it is re-imagined as a candelabra, with strange Rococo flourishes, and flowers springing forth from its tails to form the candle holders, a mutant encompassing both flora and fauna.

- Kate Rohde

Kate Rohde completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Honours) at the Victorian College of the Arts in 2001. Since then she has become known for her intensely colourful jewellery and sculptural object based practice, nowadays working predominately with resin and hand casting techniques.

Recent exhibitions include Luminous Realms, a solo survey of her work since 2006 at Craft, Magic Object; the 2016 Biennial of Australian Art at the Art Gallery of South Australia, 21st Century Heide at Heide Museum of Modern Art, and Obsessed: Compelled to make, at the Australian Design Centre. In 2015 she was a finalist in the Rigg Design Prize at the National Gallery of Victoria.

Other projects include collaborating with Sydney fashion house Romance was Born on their 2010/11 S/S collections Renaissance Dinosaur and 2011 A/W Fruits and Flowers. Her work is held in the collections of several institutions including the National Gallery of Victoria, Art Gallery of South Australia and Bendigo Art Gallery.

I AVAILABLE ARTWORKS I