Theatre of the Grotto is an experimental installation by Sydney artist Kate Dorrough. It is a playful contemporary interpretation of ancient river cave formations; consisting of shells, rocks, statuary and water. Grottoes are associated with the underworld, a meeting place between the human and the divine, and an original source of water representing life.

Throughout history, the grotto has been reinterpreted generating a tension between the artificial and the real. This constructed hybrid incorporates artificial rockery in vivid colours in contrast to a series of projected videos into real water, accompanied by narrated texts. The grotto becomes a theatre, the sculptures actors within this dramatic stage setting.

Kate Dorrough is represented by Arthouse Gallery.

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Image: Kate Dorrough, Theatre of the Grotto, 2021, site specific installation, ceramics, textiles, sound and 5 channel video projection, dimensions variable. Courtesy of the artist and Arthouse Gallery. Photo by Tim Connolly.