ABSTRACT
In 1998, British artist Christine Borland installed English Family China at Liverpool’s Tate Gallery as part of Artranspennine 98.1 The work consisted of five ‘family conversation pieces’, decorated ‘bone china’2 skulls arranged in various small, familial groups (adult male, female and children’s skulls, placed in close proximity). In the same year, Borland produced five Set Conversation Pieces, bone china casts of infant skulls in birthing positions within female pelvic bones. Both series of ‘conversations’ were decorated with patterns made popular in the 18th century by Liverpool’s own porcelain industry, including the ‘jumping boy’, a trailing Convululus, an intricate Liver bird motif and a range of ship patterns designed to commemorate maiden voyages from the port.3
