Talisman Transplanted is a reimagining of ancient rock crystal pendants that I saw in the National Archaeological Museum in Athens. They are carved into the form of a duck, a turtle, a fish, and a shell – symbols of Aphrodite with protective properties. The pendants were recovered from a female grave in Piraeus and are dated to the 1st Century AD.
The Talisman Transplanted pendants are each sculpted from several materials that I collected from a beach near Piraeus and recycled sterling silver that is formed using the ancient technique of chasing and Repoussé. The collected materials include various plastics, a timber furniture piece, marble, and assorted stone aggregates.
The pendants also feature symbols of Aphrodite: a duck, a turtle, a fish. Animals local to my home in Brisbane, Australia, are transplanted as these symbols. The form for each is derived from species that inhabit Enoggerra Creek; namely, the Eastern Long Neck Turtle (Chelodina longicollis), the Pacific Black Duck (Anas superciliosa) and the Australian Bass (Macquaria novemaculeata).
Each of the pendants presents a fusing of materials to complete the overall form in a manner that is intended to reflect reparation, restoration, and rebuilding over time.
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