Souvenirs Revisited Porcelains
These porcelains are updates to a once popular Canadian souvenir pottery line called Blue Mountain Pottery (BMP), which is no longer in business. Often their souvenirs, like most, represented a nostalgic and cliche view of Canada's nature and its peoples. However, Hathaway has updated some of them for the contemporary market, whilst also suggesting a more realistic portrayal of Canada. The Melting Eskimo, Deer and Sinking Bear porcelains are redesigns of old BMP with various changes to their original forms. Some have new parts attached (the Deer's antler-logo, and the pools around the Melting Eskimo). Some have been developed into a set with extra pieces (the Melting Eskimo and Sinking Bear).
Outdated meanings change, disappear and are reborn. The term Eskimo is left behind, Nature is a consumable product, and the polar bear struggles from extinction. The original brown clay BMP sourced from the Collingwood Hills has been changed to white porcelain to suggest the end of the BMP factory. All figurines have been stripped of any colour of the reminiscent glaze of BMP to suggest a new story has begun.
Each figurine is beautifully hand produced by Inge ven der Bosch. www.ingevenderbosch.nl
The Souvenirs Revisited have been traveling! They have journeyed to Dubai, Kortrijk, and Miami for the Fragiles Exhibition of Gestalten Publishers, and are now part of the Motherbrand collection in Canada.
Hathaway Designs is presently developing the re-birth of the Blue Mountain Pottery Company, and welcomes any investment inquiries.