Once Upon the London Tide - Art & Design Exhibition

Original Features' Gallery, 155 Tottenham Lane, Crouch End
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Event has ended
This event ended on Saturday 28th of June 2014
Admission
Free
Venue Information
Original Features
Tottenham Lane, N8 9BT
Nearest Tube/Rail Stations
Harringay 0.70 miles

Art & Design Exhibition at Original Features’ Gallery

‘Once Upon the London Tide’ is a collection of design and artworks celebrating London’s fascinating history archived on the bed of the river Thames. The collection includes paintings, sculptures, jewellery and mosaic art created by three artists who find their inspiration and materials while mudlarking.

A popular term from the 18th and 19th century ‘mudlark’ refers to a person that rummages for items of value within the mud of river banks. With London’s huge reputation for trade the Thames River banks were a popular place to mudlark for fallen cargo.
In London today the tradition still exists but the treasure has changed. What the artists find on the shore reflects the rich history of the city: shards of pottery from Roman times; Elizabethan glass; charred roof tiles from the time of the Great Fire; scraps of plates from Delft and China; coins from the Middle East and of course, clay pipes and oyster shells.


The artists, Sue Irwin-Hunt, Helen Kaminksy and Alex McHallam have altered the shady perception of mudlarkers, foraging for items of historic rather than monetary value.

Open to the public this exhibition looks to spark excitement over the history found right beneath London’s surface. All pieces use inspiration from or actual historic fragments found on the Thames River banks and are available for general sale.

“The pipes and oyster shells connect us to Londoners of years gone by who would sup on a few oysters and then round off the repast with a pinch of tobacco in a clay pipe, the forerunners to cigarettes. These were then discarded in the river and remain there today in considerable quantities. As artists, we are inspired by these small, precious remnants of history. We love the randomness of our finds and the strange, aged beauty of the glass and pottery that has been rolled over and over in the ebb and flow of the river.” Irwin-Hunt


The collections:

Jewellery from ‘off the jetty’ (Irwin-Hunt) – Combinations of sterling silver, oysters, pearls and other precious metals.

Mosaics from Alex McHallam – Mosaic mirrors and bird baths featuring mudlarked items such as Victorian clay pipes (historic cigarettes).

Paintings from Helen Kaminshy – Stimulating, abstract artworks inspired by the history surrounding and the objects found on the banks of the Thames.

Sculptures from Sue Irwin-Hunt – Historic finds from the River Thames converted into alternative sculptures.

Tags: Exhibition

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