Even after reading Dickens’ Our Mutual Friend, we’re still not quite sure of the difference between flotsam and jetsam. And something else we didn’t appreciate until now is just how attractive the fruit of the Thames can look when arranged in a fanciful way.
So thanks to Boing Boing, for pointing us in the direction of Gary Phillips’ Last Gasp Gallery of Thames paraphernalia. Like some kind of aquatic Womble, Gary makes good use of the things that he finds in the murky waters of our beloved river.
Clay pipes, pottery, keys and buckles. Just about anything that lurks on the bed of the Thames has been incorporated into his framed montages. Says Gary:
In my work I try to reflect at least 300-700 years of English history; from Roman occupation through the great plagues and fires that have blighted London, through empire building and brisk commerce, right up to the present day.
Erm, well, that’s nearly 2000 years, actually. But never mind. This is a special idea and deserves success. So, if you were wondering what to buy Londonist for Christmas…
