Red Lodge Clay Center – Short-Term Resident (AIA) 2018
Kevin Rohde received his BA from Keystone College and his MFA from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. He has received fellowships from Northern Clay Center, Minnesota, and Baltimore Clayworks, in Baltimore Maryland where he is currently a Resident Artist. Most recently, he was an Artist in Residence at Tainan National University of the Arts in Taiwan. He maintains a rigorous studio practice, exhibiting internationally, and teaching workshops around the country. Kevin is currently an Adjunct Professor of Ceramics at Towson University in Towson, MD and George Washington University in Washington, DC.
My works focus is to explore the response of the individual to the ever changing social and environmental conditions that society and life present. I use the human figure as a platform to investigate the myriad of ways in which humans react to these challenges. Rooted in the desire to master the ceramic materials potential to mimic rigid and fluid objects, I investigate the narrative possibilities presented when portraying figures interacting with common materials in unusual ways. By juxtaposing articles of clothing, and bags I attempt to assign new meaning to these materials through their interaction. There is a childlike element of play involved in these scenarios and I am fascinated by the way our relationship to the concept of “make believe” changes as we mature into adults. Adult society has a way of guiding our decisions when it comes to presenting ourselves to the world, and often times our self expression can be concealed by insecurity. I’m fascinated by this aspect of cultural assimilation through upbringing and how it raises questions of our relationship to the natural would.