Voices from the Wasteocene – chapter 1 – The Mudlark
Author House of European History (Brussels, Belgium)
Place London
Date 2021
Language English, Subtitles (CC) in English, French and German
The river Thames has always been the city’s dumping ground.
From historic waste – like disposable clay pipes, the equivalent of modern cigarette butts – to modern junk – mobile phones, shopping trolleys, and plastic toys – mudlark Lara Maiklem finds all kind of waste that ends up in the river.
What unites this diversity of waste is the action of the mudlarker-looking where society does not normally look and finding meaning and experience amongst society’s detritus.
What does this detritus tell us about the changing nature of our society?
*Based on the film "London Mudlarking: Lara Maiklem - A short film about Mudlarking" by Kit Harwood.
Director: Kit Hardwood | D.O.P.: Miles Williams | Dubbing Mixer: Guy Chase | Composer: Josh Harvey