Porcelain Lobsters/Banana – A Supermarket Heritage
With such a rich and long history, the symbolic meaning of porcelain is multidimensional.
It’s a story telling decorative household ware, a cross culture exchange
and a trade commodity between countries, a hard yet fragile material and a symbol of
wealth and luxury. We have come to associate these meanings with the colour
combination and texture of the material. Applying this visual style to food products
brings the traditional material into the context of a supermarket, marrying high culture
with modern commercialism. A contradiction is created when a symbol of history from
BC is applied to an object made for immediate consumption. I am intrigued by the global
impact that this fine material has had. Originating in China, the material and technique
has been altered by the different countries in which it is produced, resulting in diverse
artistic symbols, themes and designs. Because of its longstanding history and cultural
importance, we are able to recognize and associate its distinctive colour combination,
no matter what object it is applied to, or what the decorative pattern portrays.