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Thylacine

about

Emma Bugg (b. 1981, lutruwita/Tasmania) is a contemporary jeweller known for fusing traditional metalsmithing with emerging technologies, speculative storytelling, and unconventional materials. With over fourteen years of experience, she creates work that bridges the personal and political, the physical and digital—transforming jewellery into layered, interactive experiences.

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In 2025, Emma was awarded the inaugural Bridge Arts Prize for Bridges and Bloodlines, a dual-wearer necklace exploring kinship and connection across place and lineage.

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She was also a finalist in the 2024 Woollahra Small Sculpture Prize for Nuggets of Wisdom and Fries with That- an interactive sculptural jewellery set that connects to an AI chicken nugget chatbot. View here

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In 2024, Emma collaborated with Professor Andrew Pask for the Not Natural exhibition at Science Gallery Melbourne, creating a locket embedded with Thylacine pelt and DNA, offering audiences a poetic and provocative lens on de-extinction. View HERE

That same year, she also presented her work at Women in Design ,  lutruwita/Tasmania.

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In 2023, she received a fellowship for the Women’s Art Prize Tasmania, recognising her contributions at the intersection of art, craft, and technology.

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Emma is a co-founder of State of Flux Workshop, established in 2020 in Hobart—a vibrant artist-run studio and gallery that supports contemporary jewellery and object makers, and fosters critical engagement within the field.

Her works have been acquired by significant institutions including MONA (Museum of Old and New Art) and the Unconformity, and frequently integrate QR codes and NFC tags, inviting touch-based and digital interaction.

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At the heart of Emma’s practice is a commitment to material curiosity, speculative inquiry, and radical storytelling, positioning her as a transformative force in contemporary jewellery, whose work reflects the present while imagining alternative futures.


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Galleries and Stockists:

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Employment

2023-2024    Peer review panel, RANT arts, Arts Tasmania

2011-2017    Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) Gallery invigilator, performance artist

2011-present          Practicing artist, self employed

 

Education

2015             University of Tasmania, Foundations of Technology for Healthy Living

2012             Postgraduate Master class, Contemporary Art Jewellery- Karl Fritch and Lisa Walker, University of      Tasmania of Fine Art

2009-2010     Tasmanian Polytechnic. Diploma of Art, Craft & Design in jewellery design

2000-2002     University of Tasmania, School of Fine Art. Bachelor of Fine Art degree

 

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Solo Exhibitions

2021             Seeing in the Dark, Handmark Gallery, Hobart

2020             Still Life, Handmark Gallery, Hobart, Tasmania

2019             Explorations in Concrete, Moonah Arts Centre, Tasmania

2016             Exhibition of new work; Emma Bugg. Handmark gallery, Hobart, Tasmania

2014             Let’s get Metaphysical, Handmark gallery, Hobart Tasmania

2012             Hear my voice before it is spoken, Handmark gallery, Hobart, Tasmania

2011             Unearthed, 146 Wallspace, Arts Tasmania. Collection of new jewellery

2010             Emerging Artists show; Emma Bugg & Blair Waterfield. Handmark gallery, Hobart, Tasmania

 

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Group Exhibitions
2024                Woollahra Small Sculpture prize, Sydney

2024                Namedropping, MONA Tasmania

2024                Absolute Piston Gauges, Contemporary Art Tasmania

2024                Not Natural, Science Gallery, Melbourne

2023                Difficult Terrain, Schoolhouse Gallery, Rosny Farm

2023                Precious-  Excellence in Contemporary Jewellery. QVMAG, Launceston Tasmania

2022                Certain Women, Soggy Brolly Gallery, Queenstown, Tasmania

2021                Radiant Pavilion, The Boroughs, Melbourne, Victoria

2020-2023       Crown exhibited at Ladies Lounge, MONA

2018                Triple Parade, HOW Design Centre, Shanghai, China

2017                Toowoomba Contemporary Wearables '17- Biennial Jewellery Award & Exhibition

2017                In-house, Moonah Arts Centre, Tasmania

2017                Material: Concrete, Artisan Gallery, QLD

2016                The Contemporary Jewellery Exchange International online exhibition    

2015/16           Sweet Tribology, Area Recreativa Monte Deva, El Pinar, France

2015                Earthcode, Plimsoll Gallery, University of Tasmanian School of Fine Art

2015                Connected, 146 Art Space, Arts Tasmania

2015                Earworms, GAFFA gallery, Sydney NSW

2013                Fabricate Contemporary jewellery exhibition, Design Centre, Launceston, Tasmania

2013                Art Takes Miami, Miami Art Fair, Miami Beach, USA.

2013                Toowoomba Contemporary Wearables, Toowoomba QLD (Nationally Touring Exhibition)

2013                Pushing the Boundaries, School house gallery, Rosny Tasmania

2013                Tactical Magick, workshop participant and exhibitor, CAT gallery, Tasmania

2010                Design by 10, contemporary jewellery. Side Space Gallery, Salamanca Arts Centre Hobart (curator and exhibitor)

2009                Explorations jewellery exhibition. Gaffa Gallery, Sydney & Guildford Lane Gallery, Melbourne

 

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Professional Development​

2024                Guest speaker, Agents of Change: Women in Design 2024

2018                Undisciplined conference, Hobart, Tasmania

2015                Parallels design conference, Melbourne

2015                Parallels design camp. Selected to attend five day camp with national & international artists & designers

2015                Women in Design. Design Centre, Launceston

2015                LINK festival-Design, technology and social change. Melbourne.  

2015                Earthcode | core litany Selected to participate series of field trips, discussion panel & create responsive artwork

2014                Transmediale festival. Attendee and technical assistant for Nancy Mauro Flude, Haus der Kulturen, Berlin,            Germany

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Awards and Major Projects​​

2025              Inaugural winner, The Bridge art prize, Bridges and Bloodlines necklace. 9B Studios, New Norfolk

2024              Woollahra Small sculpture prize finalist-  Nuggets of Wisdom & Fries with That

2024              Private commission, David Walsh and Kirsha Kaechele-10th Wedding anniversary bespoke jewellery.

2024              A Moment to Reflect, Thylacine de extinction collaboration with Prof. Andrew Pask. Not Natural exhibition,                                     Science Gallery, Melbourne

2023              Gilded Memories, Charm Necklace for Queenstown. Unconformity festival

2023              Women’s Art Prize Fellowship Recipient -Established Artist, RANT Arts & Bell Bay Aluminium

2023              Commissioned project 2023 Unconformity Festival, Queenstown TAS

2019              Decay concrete bangle Finalist Footscray Art Prize

2017              Shrapnel necklace Finalist in National jewellery award Toowoomba Contemporary Wearables

2016              Awarded development grant to explore use of concrete. Arts Tasmania

2014-2016     Awarded studio residency, Arts Tasmania Connected program

2015              LINK festival, Melbourne. Fellowship awarded. Granted RAF Quick Response funding to attend

2014              Commissioned by Artist Hubert Duprat to make gold chips for caddis fly artwork, MONA

2014              Crown Commission for wedding of Kirsha Kaechele & David Walsh

2013              Love Brooch Project Selected for Toowoomba Contemporary Wearables, (AUST/NZ)

2013              Observatory necklace chosen for international publication in Lark 500 series book ‘500 Art Necklaces’

2012              Selected as Top 5 Tasmanian artists, 30 & under Nicole Durling, Senior curator at MONA

2011              Commissioned to design brooch featuring QR code technology for David Walsh, owner MONA museum)

A R T I S T     C  V

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