Porcelain as a medium connotes beauty. Held in such high regard, blue china is unlike the ordinary we’re so used to seeing in everyday life—it is precious and impermanent. These sensuous bodies possess an enigmatic femininity, demanding perfection—always looming above our heads.

Inspired by the words of Victorian poet Oscar Wilde, ‘‘I find it harder and harder every day to live up to my blue china.’’ Anglo-Dizon captured Philippine beauty queens on their finest hours as they were crowned. These women have become objects of desire, the pinnacle of beauty, which was difficult to emulate, Anglo-Dizon says.

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In her plait series, she injects a sense of whimsy into her work while retaining the traditional decorative patterns found on porcelain. Inspired by her daughter and her girl gang, it’s a collection about identity, puberty, and the transformation into women. She notes down the little things about being a girl, whether it’s going to school in braids on Thursdays or Pokemon, these mannerisms are a symbol of solidarity. Another distinctive feature found in the paintings is the twisted flowers that resemble a loose corset. An act of defiance over fixed assumptions and a bridge from classical to contemporary.

“My biggest piece in the show is called Gloria, after Gloria Diaz. But the shape of the jar is that of a pregnant woman. Our bodies change with time (and pregnancy) and we can't always hold on to our figures (though I try really hard!),” says Anglo-Dizon.

Anglo-Dizon also pokes fun at established powers through one particular blue china vase. An image of an emperor immediately catches one’s eye as he vomits from his throne. The flower in containment appears to be breaking free from its bondage and grows out of it to start anew, while a single metal spike protrudes out of the side, displaying the artist's angst.

The intricate patterns and elegant oriental design of Blue China surely appeal to the eye of the viewer. The artist then adds her own narrative and flair onto each porcelain piece that draws you in and resonates with you. Be it the struggle to reach the impossibly high standard of beauty, the whimsical nature of girlhood, or an oppressive patriarchal leader, Anglo-Dizon casts a wide net that catches all of our emotions and leaves us questioning conventionality.

Tracie Anglo-Dizon’s Living Up To My Blue China opens on May 6 and runs until May 27, 2023, at Art Cube, Lower Gallery 2. Tuesdays to Saturdays 9 am to 5:30 pm Unit 104 Ground Floor, Bldg. B OPVI Centre 2295 Chino Roces Extension Avenue, Makati

If you want more of Tracie's artwork, she'll be part of a museum show at the Iloilo Museum of Contemporary Art this May.

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