Parrot (one of a pair) 1736 - 1746

Editor: Here we have “Parrot (one of a pair)”, crafted from porcelain sometime between 1736 and 1746 by the Meissen Manufactory. They are perched so serenely… How should we interpret these baroque sculptures in our contemporary context? Curator: Considering the era, it's fascinating to reflect on porcelain's socio-political currency. Porcelain production was exclusive to Asia for centuries, right? Then European manufacturers unlock the secrets and suddenly, owning porcelain is a way for the European aristocracy to flaunt their wealth, global reach and cultural capital. How do you think that intersects with their interest in exotic animals? Editor: It's like these parrots, rendered in exquisite porcelain, become symbols of colonial power and access to faraway lands? Their beauty naturalizes this control and extraction. Curator: Exactly. And who gets to determine what's considered "beautiful," "exotic," or even "natural"? Aren't these terms loaded with cultural assumptions? Editor: Absolutely. These parrots, objects of desire and status, almost become implicated in a system of exploitation. Curator: Right. It's about decentering the idea of these objects as just decorative art and understanding their place in a much broader, and often unequal, global exchange. Considering power dynamics is always key to examining this time period. Editor: I never would have thought of them like that. I’ll never see a piece of decorative art quite the same way.