The Mermaid Fantasy Show
Personal commission
[digital]
This illustration depicts a Chinese mermaid, the Jiaoren, created for a private commission. In the painting, a skeleton woman manipulates marionettes while a skeleton child below collects the mermaid's tears as they transform into pearls, seemingly indifferent to the mermaid phantasmagoria above.
Chinese mermaid folklore tells us that their tears become pearls and the silk they weave remains dry even underwater. Drawing inspiration from traditional Quanzhou puppet shows, I used tattered silks and hair ornaments on the skeleton woman to suggest that the puppet she controls is a reflection of herself. The skeleton child's detachment from the mermaid illusion represents my commentary on how modern society often engages with traditional culture—valuing its economic benefits over its intrinsic worth. Through this work, I hope to encourage viewers to appreciate cultural heritage for its inherent value rather than the temporary dividends it generates.