Exhibition Insight... Strength in Fragility
Sarah Rothe, Untitled Brooch, 2019.
Strength in Fragility
Words by Rebecca Freezer.
Rebecca is Assistant Curator at JamFactory.
I want my work to look fragile but in fact be really strong.
In fragility, Sarah Rothe imbues strength. Inspired by both the inherent qualities of titanium and the fragility in nature, Sarah’s work encapsulates something traditionally delicate and ephemeral - a poppy petal or dragonfly wing - into a durable personal ornament to be passed down for generations.
Rothe’s latest solo exhibition sees a departure from her usual methods of manipulating titanium to create bold, wearable pieces that reference science fiction, historical fashion and an array of arthropods. In her own words:
I have adopted an experimental approach and created a playful menagerie of elements. These elements reference and reflect the delicate nature of the natural environment around us. Juxtaposed through the use of very thin and delicate titanium.
Titanium shim with its extreme thinness (between 0.05 and 0.075mm), has an even greater lightness and malleability. The larger works hang in delicate layers with fabric-like folds. Rothe hammers, scores, textures, and forms by hand her materials alongside industrial processes like laser and water-jet cutting.
Each work is comprised of a multitude of these hand formed components with the intention of creating a fun and playful naturally unnatural world.
Instead of using dyes or chemicals, the array of vibrant and shimmering hues that are characteristic of Rothe’s jewellery are achieved through refraction and electrical processing (anodising). The exact shade of cobalt blue visible in this collection of work, for example, requires a jolt of twenty-six volts.
Biography
Rothe’s jewellery is held in high esteem in permanent public gallery collections, including Sydney’s Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences (Powerhouse Museum) and the Art Gallery of South Australia. In 2012 a brooch made by Rothe was gifted to Hilary Clinton during her visit to Adelaide.
Rothe graduated from the Adelaide College of the Arts (formerly the Adelaide Centre for the Arts) in 2006 with a Bachelor of Visual Arts and Applied Design (Jewellery Design). Rothe was an Associate of JamFactory’s Jewellery and Metal Studio, 2007-2009, becoming Head of Studio from 2018-2019. She owns and operates Sarah Rothe | jewellery & design, Adelaide.
CURATOR:
Rebecca Freezer
ESSAY:
Rebecca Freezer
EXHIBITOR:
Sarah Rothe
STRENGTH IN FRAGILITY
13 December - 9 February
JamFactory
Gallery Two