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Selene Mauri Cochrane’s VERTU employs intricate textile and ceramic pieces to explore the arcane nature of the self.
Join our collector's preview list for early access to the online catalogue.
Opening reception: Saturday, Apr 26th, 5 - 8 pm. Drinks will be provided by our friends at Stomping Ground Brewing Co., Fin Wines and Cré Wines.
This exhibition will run from April 28th to May 18th and will coincide with Beau White's All Clowns Are Broken, Vorja Sánchez's Organic Harmony and Jon Ching's Entropic Entrapment .
Much of Cochrane's work is influenced by Carl Jung's theory of animals as symbols of self. Jung believed animals symbolise unconscious aspects of the self, embodying both primal instincts and hidden desires. They represent the creative and destructive forces within us, offering insights into parts of our personality we may not consciously recognise, and this is an idea echoed throughout Cochrane's practice.
Often dark and thought-provoking, her work compels viewers to confront their own relationship with their innermost selves. Through recurring esoteric and existential themes, myth, fantasy, and the use of signs and symbols, she tells truths—good, bad, and often unspoken. Her work is always highly detailed and decorative, with every element meticulously handcrafted, from ceramic pins and jewels to hand-stitched lace, using her antique Cornely machine. This intricate craftsmanship reflects the complexities of life itself.
In VERTU, The central character of The Collectoress watches over her menagerie of curiosities, embodying both malevolent and benevolent qualities. She is a reflection of Cochrane herself—a lover and gatherer of the beautiful yet strange. Her use of cotton velvet, silk mesh and silk organza fabrics bring with them a sense of history and unknowability, and when used to create the fur, feathers and antlers of her chimerical creatures, they evoke a strange otherworldliness, blurring the boundaries between the mystical and temporal, human and animal, dream and reality.
Selene Mauri Cochrane is a textile and mixed media artist based in Brisbane, Australia, with over three decades of experience as a costume designer and maker. Now working full-time as an artist, she fully embraces her expertise in pattern making, dyeing, fabric manipulation, and embellishment, seamlessly integrating these skills with her passion for ceramics. Her practice is deeply influenced by her experiences living with chronic pain from scoliosis and other health challenges, driving her to create works that transcend both emotional and physical suffering.