Exhibition: Larking: The Thames and Beyond

An exhibition to celebrate the release of A Field Guide to Larking by Lara Maiklem, author of the bestselling Mudlarking: Lost and Found on the River Thames

Larking is the art of looking for the little treasures that are all around us, on beaches (beachlarking), in fields (fieldlarking), at home (houselarking and gardenlarking) and of course mudlarking in rivers, especially on the Thames, and A Field Guide to Larking is an illustrated guide to how to give it a go yourself.

This exhibition brings pages from the book to life with real artefacts: objects from Lara’s own collection and treasures borrowed from other larkers. It also features some of the original illustrations by Johnny Mudlark and Chiz Harwood.

The display includes commonly found Thames objects – nails, pottery and buttons, – alongside more rare and unique objects, such as an Iron Age pot, a Roman scabbard chape and medieval Pilgrim badges Many of the pieces are on public display for the first time and each one has its own story to tell.

Larking reveals the variety of historic objects that are waiting for the curious eye and also challenges our concept of rubbish. Included in the exhibition are works by ceramic artist Raewyn Harrison and jeweller Liz Willis, both of whom take their inspiration from larking on the river Thames and the artefacts they find. Their work shows how lost and forgotten objects can be transformed and inspire something new and beautiful.

A Field Guide to Larking is illustrated by Johnny Mudlark and archaeological illustrator Chiz Harwood. The exhibition is curated by foreshore archaeologist Mike Webber.

Larking: The Thames and Beyond is on display in Lancelot's Link from 21 July - 30 October and entry is via the Cathedral courtyard on the north side of the Cathedral opposite the River Thames from 9.00am - 5.00pm.

Ian has Visited - review here.