Emily Stout

Region: South

Mermaids are hybrid forms that violate natural law or, more specifically, contemporary scientific explanation. They are often depicted as beautiful yet monstrous creatures in legends and folklore. They are outcasts; abnormal curiosities. They are neither this nor that, they lie somewhere between, questioning the logic of natural order.

Enchanted forms such as the mermaid are symbols of the unexpected or unknown in my work. I have grown up in the age of computers/technology, where so much is certain. I am overwhelmed by the sterility of reality. If I have a question, am uncertain, or am wondering about something in particular, I can Google it and dispel my wonder. Nothing need go unanswered because almost everything has been figured out. I know that there are no monsters or ghosts outside my apartment because streetlights line the block and illuminate every dark corner. I feel that as a result of this, as a culture, we have very clear definitions of what is true and what is not true.