2025
aerosol and vinyl on MDF
58 x 141cm
I originally saw this artwork called “The Dream of the Fisherman’s wife” by David Laity at the Metro 5 Gallery in Armadale, Victoria. His painting was placed in the window of the gallery in High Street Armadale and had caused a bit of a stink because some people complained that it was R rated or something like that. I was taken aback by the showing of a women aroused and thought she looked quite beautiful. I then discovered that this was Laity’s interpretation of a Hokusai woodblock print from the early 1800s called “The Dream of the Fisherman’s wife” or “Girl Diver and Octopi” or “Diver and two Octopi” the original print was way more explicit than the Laity version.
The Hokusai print had not one but 2 octopuses and one was seen as the son of the large octopus. As compared to the Laity painting the Hokusai print has pubic hair, she holds onto the tentacles that were clearly meant as phallic objects, the large octopus is overly large and a bit aggressive looking and the smaller octopus has his beak covering her mouth which seems overpowering, invasive and has an overbearing gesture; there is also a story written in the background which describes the conversation between the diver and the two octopi. These prints are considered early Manga and to me are a forerunner to an early “Penthouse” or “Playboy” spread – erotic image with a story. You can read the Hokusai story online. My take on the Hokusai image was that it was clearly created for men, the title “The Dream of the Fisherman’s wife” puts her as the possession of the husband; she is secondary and there for a man’s pleasure not her pleasure.
I wanted to paint her having HER dream while drifting off to sleep, experiencing HER pleasure. In her outstretched hand is a single pearl after a successful catch from the day of pearl diving. If she wants to dream of an octopus giving her oral sex then she can, it’s her erotic fantasy and hers alone. The pattern on the blanket she is lying on starts to entwine her and become mingled in her dream like state; caught between the hazy moment of sleep and barely awake. This is her time and no one else’s.