The Big Fish (Salmon of Knowledge)
Image by infomatique
The tour guide told us that, according to legend, if you kissed this fish you gained knowledge. Bearing in mind that it has only existed since 1999 it is most unlikely that one could claim that there are legends attached to this piece of public art. There is however an old celtic story known as "The Legend of the Salmon of Knowledge".
The Salmon figures prominently in The Boyhood Deeds of Fionn, which recounts the early adventures of Fionn mac Cumhaill. According to the story, it was an ordinary salmon that ate the nine hazel nuts that fell into the Well of Wisdom from nine hazel trees that surrounded the well. In doing so, the salmon gained all the knowledge in the world. Moreover, the first person to eat of its flesh would, in turn, gain this knowledge.
The poet Finn Eces spent seven years fishing for the salmon. When he finally caught it, he instructed his apprentice, Fionn, to prepare it for him. Fionn burned his thumb when spattered with a drop of the hot fat from the cooking salmon and immediately sucked on it to ease the pain. Unbeknownst to Fionn, all the wisdom had been concentrated into that one drop, and Fionn had just imbibed it all.
When he brought the cooked meal to Finegas, his master saw a fire in the boy’s eyes that had not been there before. When asked by Finegas, Fionn first denied that he had eaten of the fish. But when pressed, Fionn admitted his accidental taste. Throughout the rest of his life, Fionn could access this font of knowledge merely by biting his thumb.
It was this incredible knowledge and wisdom gained from the Salmon of Knowledge that allowed Fionn to become the leader of the Fianna, the famed heroes of Irish myth.
In Welsh mythology, the story of how the poet Taliesin received his wisdom follows a similar pattern.
The Big Fish also called the Bigfish is a printed ceramic mosaic sculpture by John Kindness 10 metres long constructed in 1999 Located at Donegall Quay in Belfast, near the Lagan Lookout and Custom House.
The outer skin of the fish is a cladding of ceramic tiles decorated with texts and images relating to the history of Belfast. Material from Tudor times to present day newspaper headlines are included along with contributions from Belfast school children (including a soldier and an Ulster Fry). The Ulster Museum provided the primary source of historic images, while local schools/day centres located along the line of the River Farset were approached to provide drawings for the fish. Images were provided by Glenwood Primary School, St Comgalls and Everton Day Centres.
The Big Fish also contains a time capsule storing information/images/poetry on the City.
The work was commissioned to celebrate the regeneration of the River Lagan. The site is a significant landmark as it is the location of the confluence of the River Farset with the River Lagan (Belfast is named after the River Farset).
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