Fiji Mermaid 2000 Finds New Space

At the beginning of this century, I created a series of three wearable vessels that I call my 'Tin Toy Series.' The Robot Vessel, the Rocket Vessel, and the Fiji Mermaid 2000 combined two of my passions; the aesthetic of sci-fi themed tin toys from the '50s and '60s, and the ingenious engineering of the Japanese inro. A common adornment from 17th century Japan, the inro combined fashion with function, a stacking container that was suspended from the sash of men's garments to hold either medicines or a seal (inro literally translates to 'seal basket'). In the middle of the last century, tin toys (many also from Japan) reflected the world's early fascination with the new frontier of outer space.
With allusions to space chimps and flying monkeys, the third vessel in my Tin Toy inro collection brought in another idea: the Feejee Mermaid. As an artist, I'm always trying to combine two or more disparate ideas together into a seamless new thing, searching for the hidden intersections between them, and then sanding the conceptual seams until they become one unified whole. I suppose famed showman P.T. Barnum had a similar interest in unusual hybrids when, in 1842, he purchased the mummified body of a rare half mammal/half fish creature caught by a fisherman in the South Seas. Barnum dubbed his acquisition the 'Feejee Mermaid' and it soon became a centerpiece of his museum collection of curiosities.

People flocked from all over to to see this unusual and mysterious creature, and the Feejee Mermaid was an unparalleled success for Barnum. But the hidden truth behind it eventually became known. It turned out that the Feejee Mermaid was actually the torso of a monkey sewn to the tail of a fish. Not the result of some unknown evolutionary tangent, the Feejee Mermaid owed its true origins to a taxidermist's handiwork and a marketer's imagination. It was a spectacular hoax.
Fast forward from 1842 to 2009, and another Fiji Mermaid is on its way to become part of a different museum collection. This time around, the impresario is polymer clay artist, teacher, collector, and curator Elise Winters, and her Collection is a showcase reflecting a much greater integrity than Barnum's original exhibits ever did: some of the finest polymer clay art pieces from the last 25 years.
If you have been following Elise's website, Polymer Art Archive (accurately self-described as 'the go-to site for the serious study of polymer art'), you may know about her project. Tracy and I met Elise at Ravensdale 1996, the first international polymer clay conference. Since then, we've come to know her as one of the most dedicated and well-spoken advocates for art in our medium. An avid collector, it's been Elise's vision to see polymer clay art included in the permanent collections of prestigious art museums. Now, that's actually happening. Along with her team, Elise is being rewarded for her hard work, dedication, and vision with the just-announced establishment of a permanent collection at the Racine Art Museum in Wisconsin. Other venues on Elise's wish list include the Museum of Art and Design in New York, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, The Newark Museum in New Jersey, and the Mingei International Museum in San Diego.
I am honoured that my Tin Toy Series, along with another piece, the 'Natalia Necklace,' is among about 125 works destined for acquisition into the permanent collection at the Racine Art Museum. An additional 60 items are destined for their reference collection. Together, these works will become the foundation of a permanent world class collection of polymer art at RAM. It's also exciting to see that Bruce W. Pepich, RAM's Executive Director and Curator of Collections, will be joining Elise at Synergy2, to share his perspective on 'Collecting Polymer.'
In today's post at Polymer Art Archive, entitled Support The Polymer Collection at RAM, Elise reflects on finally arriving at this exciting destination. Rachel Carren (one of Elise's dedicated troupe) explains in more detail how all this came to pass, here and here. Check it out. You'll also find images of some of the amazing pieces that Elise has assembled, the important work of our medium's pioneers.
Kudos to Elise for her vision and initiative. Gratitude to the various museum curators who are taking this step with us, recognizing the quality of work being done in polymer clay, and validating its importance within the world of fine craft. And congratulations to each and every one of you who've worked hard to push your own work and our medium to the next level. I'm proud to share this moment with you.
One small step for space chimp: one giant leap for polymer clay art.
-Dan
If you would like to add your financial support to The Collection at RAM, you can. Just click this button:

PREVIOUS | go to archive | next

TODAY'S LINKS
The Collection at RAM
Racine Art Museum
The Collection: Part 1
The Collection: Part 2
The Collection on PCDaily
The Collection at Synergy2
Elise Winters

keep in touch
Thank you for visiting this blog and sharing our Little Ideas. Add a comment, or contact us directly with other thoughts, questions, and contributions. We welcome your little ideas...
Dan & Tracy

Fiji Mermaid 2000

one of three 'Tin Toy' vessels heading to a permanent home at the Racine Art Museum

Feejee Mermaid 1842

one of many 'curiosities' made famous by the 19th Century showman P.T. Barnum