Kate Theodore

Hooksis, Kate Theodore and Alan Kean
Hold On!, 2024
A set of 5 stoneware hooks with matt white glaze
10 x 10 x 9 cm each
4 x 4 x 3 ½ in. each
Editions 1-5 of 30

Kate Theodore (b. 1983 in Eastleigh, Southampton) is an installation artist and sculptor. Her recent work explores form and function, nature, bodies and systems of exchange, the relationship between human and environment. By recontextualising everyday materials, Kate Theodore blurs the line between utility and uselessness, encouraging viewers to question their assumptions about the object’s role. At times, she erases function entirely, transforming familiar items into abstract works that demand a new kind of interaction.

Drawing from visual inspirations such as minimal art and Arte Povera, Kate Theodore works with modest, often repurposed materials to create objects that fold, transform and exist at a human scale. Her experimental and considered process is underpinned by a deep concern with our connection to the natural landscape. Examining the interplay between the human experience and nature, her work poses the question of how sculpture can reflect a shared vulnerability and emotional resonance.

After studying anthropology and philosophy at the University of Edinburgh in 2004, Kate Theodore followed Access to Art sculpture courses in London and Cyprus. In 2018 she obtained her MA in Fine Art Practice from Glasgow School of Art. She has exhibited widely across the UK, including at Chapel Arts, Andover; Gallery N16, London; and Kunst-stoffe, Berlin. Recent exhibitions include Drop the hammer, Glasgow Project Room (2020) and a group show at Queen Street Studios Gallery, Belfast in 2021. In 2006 Theodore was awarded the Lowes Dickenson Prize and has completed several artist residencies in Berlin and Brazil. Kate Theodore lives and works in Scotland.

“I’m interested in where meaning slips into non-meaning, where form becomes both structure and metaphor. My sculptures often suggest use or utility, but remain ambiguous, inviting viewers to project their own associations. They are transformers: adaptable, temporary, often able to fold away or disappear entirely.” – Kate Theodore, 2025

Hooksis is a collaborative project that centres around creating sculptural, functional objects. The work emphasises the intersection of art and practicality, showcasing how everyday objects can transcend functionality and become engaging sculptures in their own right.