Artist statement
Through my work, I often examine the complex relationships between people, materials and objects within the systems of capitalism. I seeks out the moments where subject-object relations might exist outside these systems as a way of considering alternatives to them. I have an ongoing practice of observing and collecting within daily life from which my research and creative works often evolve.
Bio
Aphra Cheesman (b. 1989, Auckland) is a contemporary jeweller currently living and working in Naarm/Melbourne. Her practice includes contemporary jewellery, objects, drawing, video and sculpture. Aphra graduated from RMIT with a BA Fine Art (Honours) in 2020 and has also completed a diploma in Jewellery and Object design at Melbourne Polytechnic. In 2019 she was selected for the Fresh! Graduate exhibition at Craft Victoria and the Gallery Marzee International Graduate Show (NL). She was also a finalist in Talente 2022 (DE). Aphra is the recipient of the Future Leaders award (Craft Victoria, 2019), the Joel Elenberg prize (RMIT, 2020) and the Emily Hope award (RMIT, 2020).
Connecting through CHAINreaction
Nelson Jewellery Week looked fantastic from a far! If only the trans-Tasman bubble had opened just a few weeks earlier. The CHAINreaction exhibition, in particular, was wonderful to be involved in - at least my work made it over when I couldn't! CHAINreaction...
How will an object sit on the body? How will a body sit on the object?
I’ve always loved chairs. Especially chairs like these... For a while now, I’ve been photographing chairs that I find on the street (if only I had the space to collect the objects themselves!). Used, worn and broken, these are objects that have lived their lives in...
Breakable Rules
Until 2020 I had never done a masterclass but in January and February I was lucky to participate in both the HS6 masterclass with Iris Eichenberg and a few weeks following a masterclass with David Bielander at RMIT in Melbourne. Iris Eichenberg discussed studio...
Reflections on ‘Stuff Theory’ by Maurizia Boscagli
I recently came across this book which helped to bring together some of the ideas I’ve been thinking and reading about. It’s also helped me to set some parameters on what I am making as The Everyday is very broad and I got to a point a few months ago where I felt I...
Aphra Cheesman‘s art works:
