Roseanne Bartley

Artist statement:

In their makings Alphabets contain references to human and more than human body parts. Spines, limbs, ears and tails nominally define stylistic features that influence the legibility of each letter form. Moving beyond visual representation however, the performativity of text in public space rarely considers the physical and material effects of these anatomical features; how diverse in mobility, gender and flesh they become – how much they desire to express identity, mimetically intra-relate with culture and place, or signify their wealth and power. In this abstracted milieu of associations, it appears language and ornamentation may have more in common than just bodies.

Bio:

Roseanne Bartley is an Aotearoa born Melbourne (Naarm) based artist jeweller, craft writer & design educator. From her initial art school training as a gold and silversmith Roseanne developed an interdisciplinary practice that examines the ornamental principles of jewellery through studio, social process and public making; an expanded approach she describes as facilimaking. Significant to this method is her innovative use of surface archaeology, peripatetic process, makeshift accoutrements and DIY manuals. Recently her focus returned to an earlier interest in text and her current work explores the intrarelationships between language and jewellery – literature and craft, concepts she develops through text-based artefacts, writing and reading practices. Roseanne was awarded a practice-based PhD from the School of Architecture and Design, RMIT in 2018.

Roseanne Bartley

An Alphabet of Bracelets: poster 2023

Artist statement:

In their makings Alphabets contain references to human and more than human body parts. Spines, limbs, ears and tails nominally define stylistic features that influence the legibility of each letter form. Moving beyond visual representation however, the performativity of text in public space rarely considers the physical and material effects of these anatomical features; how diverse in mobility, gender and flesh they become – how much they desire to express identity, mimetically intra-relate with culture and place, or signify their wealth and power. In this abstracted milieu of associations, it appears language and ornamentation may have more in common than just bodies.

Bio:

Roseanne Bartley is an Aotearoa born Melbourne (Naarm) based artist jeweller, craft writer & design educator. From her initial art school training as a gold and silversmith Roseanne developed an interdisciplinary practice that examines the ornamental principles of jewellery through studio, social process and public making; an expanded approach she describes as facilimaking. Significant to this method is her innovative use of surface archaeology, peripatetic process, makeshift accoutrements and DIY manuals. Recently her focus returned to an earlier interest in text and her current work explores the intrarelationships between language and jewellery – literature and craft, concepts she develops through text-based artefacts, writing and reading practices. Roseanne was awarded a practice-based PhD from the School of Architecture and Design, RMIT in 2018.