Mortification

So where were we ... ahhh yes the Day of the Dead series of work based on the Mexican festival ‘Día de los Muertos’ or ‘Day of the Dead’. A celebration where you give sugar skulls to your friends with their names so "they can eat their own death".

While exploring the premise of taking 2D Day of the Dead themed drawings and lino prints and using glazed  tableware as three-dimensional canvases by drawing graphics with on glaze china paints,

I suddenly realised that by using vintage china and porcelain tableware, I could create an interesting tension between sweet, pretty, traditional flowers and grinning skulls that are usually associated with death.

 And so Mortification was born.

mortify [ˈmɔːtɪˌfaɪ]

vb -fies, -fying, -fied

1.      (tr) to humiliate, cause to feel shame or wounded pride

Derivation - from the Latin word mori (via old french mort) for death

Each piece of tableware has had a previous life. The shadow of treasured preciousness can be read on the surface of every object. Slowly these heirlooms have lost thier meaning and died, no longer loved and valued.

Using the process of ‘Mortification’, vintage china and porcelain is brought back to life and given a new meaning. Re-birthed to be valued once again for the beautiful objects they are.

To ancient Mexicans, life was a dream and only in death did they become truly awake. Death is transcendence, transformation and resurrection.

Each piece is truly unique, a one off that can never be repeated.

A.MUse