Ningyo porcelain figure & divination bowl

Ann-Marie Tully, Ningyo. Earthenware, porcelain, cobalt. 145mm (L) x 40mm (W) x 45mm (D)

Ann-Marie Tully, Ningyo. Earthenware, porcelain, cobalt. 145mm (L) x 40mm (W) x 45mm (D)

Ann-Marie Tully, Ningyo. Earthenware, porcelain, cobalt. 145mm (L) x 40mm (W) x 45mm (D)

Ann-Marie Tully, Ningyo. Earthenware, porcelain, cobalt. 145mm (L) x 40mm (W) x 45mm (D)

Ann-Marie Tully, Ningyo. Earthenware, porcelain, cobalt. 145mm (L) x 40mm (W) x 45mm (D)

Ann-Marie Tully, Ningyo. Earthenware, porcelain, cobalt. 145mm (L) x 40mm (W) x 45mm (D)

Ann-Marie Tully, Ningyo. Earthenware, porcelain, cobalt. 145mm (L) x 40mm (W) x 45mm (D)

A 'Ningyo' is a mermaid or fish-like creature from Japanese folklore. This porcelain sculpture references this in figurative style, and the use of pattern; also referencing wider instances of mermaid mythology through the inclusion of an image of a western sailing ship on the figure. The small scale of the piece references another Japanese tradition - that of 'Netsuke': the production of very small sculptural objects. The blue renderings resemble tattoos, another Japanese tradition; but also a maritime tradition that crosses cultural boundaries. The blue colour also references numerous decorative porcelain traditions (Delft, Chinese blue-ware, Willow etc.); as well as magical tattooing practices, such as the blue facially tattooed women of the Aures Mountains region of northeastern Algeria, who believe that tattoos provide protection, luck and beauty.

Ann-Marie Tully, Divination bowl: Mermaid peregrinations. Porcelain, cobalt. 

180mm (diameter) x 60mm (D)

Ann-Marie Tully, Divination bowl: Mermaid peregrinations. Porcelain, cobalt. 

180mm (diameter) x 60mm (D)

Ann-Marie Tully, Divination bowl: Mermaid peregrinations. Porcelain, cobalt. 

180mm (diameter) x 60mm (D)

Ann-Marie Tully, Divination bowl: Mermaid peregrinations. Porcelain, cobalt. 

180mm (diameter) x 60mm (D)

Ann-Marie Tully, Divination bowl: Mermaid peregrinations. Porcelain, cobalt. 

180mm (diameter) x 60mm (D)

Ann-Marie Tully, Divination bowl: Mermaid peregrinations. Porcelain, cobalt. 

180mm (diameter) x 60mm (D)

This porcelain bowl references a broad spectrum of mermaid mythology by way of inclusion of an Ukiyo-e mermaid image, juxtaposed with images drawn from San rock art that appears to represent fish-like people, and freshwater mormyrid fish - pointing to the many cultural instances of myths of fish-human transmogrification in human cosmology. The format of a 'divination bowl' is a reference to magical practices such sortilege - the casting and interpretation of lots, or sortes (sticks, stones, bones, etc.) in search of answers to life’s conundrums; and augury - the qualitative assessment of shapes and proximities, for example the examination of dismembered animal remains in search of supernatural portents.