Tequila Totems

by Annette Allman 11 - 23 February 2020 Event: Thurs 13 February, 6-8pm.

Tequila Totems is a commentary on the sacredness of alcohol within contemporary Australian culture. Allman presents this through a collection of 350 handcrafted earthenware tequila bottles arranged in 35 totemic forms, a form traditionally symbolic of a sacred object or a spiritual being.

Similar to the totem, alcohol plays a prominent role within our rituals, much like a shot of tequila with salt and lemon, a ritual of its own during a night out. Our celebrations and festivities commonly revolve around the consumption of alcohol, from weddings to wakes and 18th birthdays, it serves as a right-of-passage for many Australians during these social occasions, sacred in its own right. Inspired by the handcrafted tradition of Clase Azul in Mexico, Allman expands on the form by exploring the seductive, addictive, hypnotic and repetitively ritualistic nature of alcohol through hand glazed patterns and colour.

The glazed designs and curvaceous forms transform each totem into its own spiritual being with a distinct personality. Allman sees these differing personalities as a representation of the diversity within Australia’s thriving alcohol industry, as well as the many effects alcohol can have on an individual’s personality.

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