'Splendid Deformities': An Emancipatory Critique of Cultural Homogeneity in Sin-ying Ho's Deformed Ceramics

This paper identifies an aesthetic of deformation in contemporary porcelain sculptures by Hong Kong-born, New York-based artist Sin-ying Ho. A selection of these are discussed with reference to three historic case-studies in ceramic deformity: wares that have been malformed when fired due to negligence, lack of vigilance, or misfortune; wares that have transformed in the kiln due to allegedly mysterious powers; and the eighteenth-century fashion for chinoiserie as a style of the monstrous, deformed and obscene. With reference to these case-studies, it is argued that Sin-ying Ho’s ceramic sculptures represent deformity as something to be celebrated, endorsing an emancipatory narrative of diversity and open-minded tolerance.