Coastlines, and the ocean, are subject to liminal anxiety. Mermaids are hybrid forms of this fear, historically encompassing the dangers of indulgence, loss of control, and loneliness.
There exists a shift throughout literature of the admired beauty of these creatures, towards the anxiety of them provoking disaster, resulting in mermaids being hyper-feminised, and fetishized. The contrast appeared between the mariner ‘male’ spaces, colliding with the female energy of the sea and ships. Living in the uncanny middle of half-human, half- creature, mermaids exist in the realm of the Other. Despite carrying the fear of the unknown, mermaids transcended continents, and appeared in mythology all over the globe.
There are many accounts, specifically throughout the 18th Century, of women entering into these traditionally male spaces in disguise, serving time at sea unbeknownst to the men aboard. These strong women were seeking a life of adventure, saying no to the system of which they were born. In contemporary times, mermaids have entered the queer world, becoming subject matter in unrequited love stories for queer writers and artists. They can be seen as celebrating the beauty in difference, of navigating between zones, blurring the lines between cultures and bodies.
This pearl-encrusted mermaid physically sits between two realms, created to be a handle for a door or a drawer. The act of opening a door, entering a new space, ties the user to these creatures, altering the narrative to embrace the seeming contradictions, and step through to the Other realm.
Coastlines, and the ocean, are subject to liminal anxiety. Mermaids are hybrid forms of this fear, historically encompassing the dangers of indulgence, loss of control, and loneliness.
There exists a shift throughout literature of the admired beauty of these creatures, towards the anxiety of them provoking disaster, resulting in mermaids being hyper-feminised, and fetishized. The contrast appeared between the mariner ‘male’ spaces, colliding with the female energy of the sea and ships. Living in the uncanny middle of half-human, half- creature, mermaids exist in the realm of the Other. Despite carrying the fear of the unknown, mermaids transcended continents, and appeared in mythology all over the globe.
There are many accounts, specifically throughout the 18th Century, of women entering into these traditionally male spaces in disguise, serving time at sea unbeknownst to the men aboard. These strong women were seeking a life of adventure, saying no to the system of which they were born. In contemporary times, mermaids have entered the queer world, becoming subject matter in unrequited love stories for queer writers and artists. They can be seen as celebrating the beauty in difference, of navigating between zones, blurring the lines between cultures and bodies.
This pearl-encrusted mermaid physically sits between two realms, created to be a handle for a door or a drawer. The act of opening a door, entering a new space, ties the user to these creatures, altering the narrative to embrace the seeming contradictions, and step through to the Other realm.
Image 1 of 4
Image 2 of 4
Image 3 of 4
Image 4 of 4