Trophy Wife

Elite Europeans collected elaborate, domestically-produced vessels that imitated the look of luxury imported blue-and-white porcelain from Asia. For example, this crowned English posset pot is adorned with faux Chinese scenery. In Trophy Wife, Elyse Pignolet relates the collecting of prized ceramics to the objectification of desirable women. Her sculpture lures viewers with the pretty and familiar Asian-inspired motifs of blue-and-white pottery, only to confront them with equally ubiquitous misogynistic stereotypes. She adorns the trophy-like body with the names of prominent female figures, criticizing the overemphasis of women’s marital status and appearance in public discourse.