Cathy's Art Diary

Interesting exhibition at the Museum of London Docklands looking at mudlarking and the objects uncovered. The first section looked at how the found objects can tell the story of London and its people. The items were grouped together into themed displays. At first, I thought these would be chronological but they then became more subject orientated. They were all set into a model of the foreshore. The gave glimpses of past lives. They were shown with contemporary art inspired by mudlarked finds. The second section looked at the practice of mudlarking, how people find objects, identify them and catalogue them.   I liked the works shown in a display resembling museum storage. There was a slightly random but interesting section on an area of the Thames around London Bridge renowned for its Roman finds. The exhibition then ended with an installation of the Moon by Luke Jerram and soundscape by Felix Taylor to represent the tides. I’d seen the Jerram piece before but it made quite ...

Lovely public exhibition outside the National Theatre of photographs by Hannah Smiles of objects found by the Thames. The information boards pointed out the Thames is the longest continuous archaeological site in Britain, a cumulative rubbish dump from thousands of years. The pictures were beautifully clear images showing the finds in isolation and giving them a sense of grandeur. I loved one of a pilgrim badge of St Thomas a Beckett   and well as one of Art Deco glass buttons but my favourite, shown here, was of the bowl of an anti-slavery clay pipe. Closes 5 October 2019

Delightful exhibition at Made in Greenwich of items mudlarked along the Thames by Nicola White alongside messages she has found in bottles. Most of the messages were from children but I liked some of the adult ones such as one which said   “Me and the love of my life are drinking wine. We are a Tower Hill London”, a real capturing of a moment! As my flat overlooks the river and I travel to work each day on the Clipper I love the river and it was fascinating to see the items which people have dropped and thrown in. I was particularly drawn to the pieces of pottery and bought a small mounted piece of Blue and White in a frame.