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Abstract

Living work of art, consumer commodity, scientific hero and environmental
menace: the humble goldfish is the ultimate human cultural artefact.
A creature of supposedly little memory and short lifespan, it has universal
appeal. In ancient China, goldfish were saved from predators in acts of
religious reverence and selectively bred for their glittering grace. In the
East, they became the subject of exquisite art, regarded as living flowers
that moved, while in the West, they became ubiquitous residents of the
Victorian parlour. Cheap and eminently available, today they are bred
by the millions for the growing domestic pet market, while also proving to
be important to laboratory studies of perception, vision and intelligence.
In this illuminating homage to the goldfish, Anna Marie Roos challenges
the cultural preconceptions of a creature often thought to be common
and disposable, as she blends art and science to trace the surprising and
intriguing history of this much-loved animal.

Available Versions of this Item

• Goldfish. (deposited 13 Jun 2016 13:42)
  • Goldfish. (deposited 22 Feb 2019 14:34) [Currently Displayed]