The Sparkle of the Kin (2023)
Josie Rae Turnbull
The Sparkle of the Kin is an installation about the Arowana fish, which serves as a striking mirror to contemporary capitalism. Like our consumer-driven economy, the value of these fish is intricately tied to manufactured scarcity and manipulated appearances, with the cost per fish as high as £400,000. Known as the ‘King of Ornamental’ aquarium fish, Arowana are microchipped at birth, issued a certificate of authenticity, and can even undergo specialised plastic surgery procedures to ‘improve’ their worth by more closely aligning them with narrow aesthetic standards endemic to the market.
Echoing our own societal fixation on exclusivity and the relentless pursuit of profit, where value often hinges on artificial rarity, appearances, and a culture fixated on unsustainable consumption, the Arowana market exposes the consequence of a system fuelled by extractive practices based on false, profit-oriented ideals.By reference to films like ‘Whatever Happened to Baby Jane’ and ‘The Queen of Versailles’, The Sparkle of the Kin visualises the imagined fate of an Arowana fallen from grace – a former champion, now cast aside. Littered with the ephemera of success – rosettes, certificates, and branded merchandise – there is a sense of tragedy woven into the piece, asking us to consider the true cost of our desires. The work uses materials from a visit to an Arowana enthusiast’s house, vintage beauty pageants, and early 20th century aesthetic treatments, juxtaposed with repurposed fast fashion garments and textiles – the aftermath of mass production and consumption. The medium mirrors the rapid cycle of desirability familiar to the Arowana and much like the tragic arc of the fish’s stardom, reminds us of the daunting lifespan of consumer goods, that far exceeds their moment in the spotlight.
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