Daryl Hannah’s iconic performance as a mermaid in the 1984 romantic comedy ‘Splash’ provides pop cultural inspiration for this series in which the mesmeric ‘merwoman’ is centralized as the principal figure of desire. In true fairy tale fashion, the frothy blond seeks the love of a human man, but my particular investment in the subject is to explore the connections between this mythology, consumerism and sex. The consumption of exotic flesh operates as a dual reference to the sexual allure of the mermaid and the succulent comestibles of the sea, in particular the eroticism of marine edibles like oysters. I connect the art historical significance of this theme with ‘marinescapes’ and the curiosity cabinets popularised alongside the development of C17th exotic trade routes in Europe and the birth of the modern economy. The material potentialities of charcoal drawing are used to stimulate a fetishistic sensuality and activate a plurality of connections between abundance, exuberance and the study of natural and fantastical form. The mermaid’s association with sex, lust and wonder and the commodification of the natural world are woven together through an investigation into sensuous charcoal and pastel drawing.
