Tess Chodan

BIOGRAPHY

Now based on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Tess Chodan is an emerging artist working with insect specimens, all of which are non-endangered, and most of which are antique. She recently created a piece containing a swallowtail butterfly from 1896.  Tess worked as an antique dealer for a number of years in her native England, before finding her first Edwardian collection of moths from which she made her first artwork. Since then, Tess’s work has appeared on film sets and in galleries in Australia and the UK, and she has been recently commissioned to create an installation of new work for an exhibition opening in May 2019 at the Queensland State Regional Gallery in Noosa. She is a recipient of funding from the Regional Development Art Fund (2019).

ARTIST STATEMENT

My work reflects on preserving the past – tiny pieces of history that would otherwise be long-forgotten or turned into dust. As an artist using insect specimens, I am often looking to contrast the fragility of these ephemeral creatures with the ruggedness of industrial, utilitarian or scientific objects. I restore and remount historical collections, and much of my work employs antique specimens - some of which are over a hundred years old. Using antique cabinets, instrument cases, domes and lanterns, I carefully weave together stories and history into each piece.

Tess Chodan CV