Tag Archives: fish

Reflections on the Great British Fish & Chips Exhibition

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We would be delighted if you would join us to launch our new exhibition and accompanying display of original material from Special Collections & Archives on Wednesday 22nd June at 1pm in the Templeman Library Gallery (first floor A block of the Templeman Library).

The display has been co-curated by a volunteer Research and Curation Group who have reflected on themes presented within the Great British Fish and Chips exhibition.

The original exhibition, the Great British Fish & Chips, revealed everyday stories of migration, movement and global trade by illustrating the lives and experiences of fish and chip shop owners across Kent. We are pleased to be able to redisplay this exhibition in the Templeman Gallery.

Using the exhibition as inspiration, sparking questions and ideas, the Research and Curation Group explored the Special Collections & Archives catalogues and discovered items of interest within our unique and distinctive collections. The group investigated a range of themes covering local history, immigration policy, migration of people and public perception of migrants, migration and food production, and the history of the British fishing industry.

A room including six people sitting at tables looking at archive material

The Research and Curation Group in action – studying the material at Special Collections & Archives

We are delighted to present the findings of the group in this co-curated display of material – Reflections on the Great British Fish & Chips Exhibition – selected, researched and described by the group members.

There will be some short introductory speakers launching the exhibition:

  • 13.00 – Karen Brayshaw (Special Collections & Archives Manager) and Beth Astridge (University Archivist)
  • 13.10 – Tom (Refugee Week)
  • 13.30 – Basma el Doukhi (PhD researcher)
Black, Red and White handstitched dress in traditional Palestinian style next to an exhibition board for the Great British Fish and Chips exhibition. The dress is exhibited in the exhibition.

Dress made by Basma’s grandmother for her Master’s graduation ceremony

One of the items on display in the exhibition is a dress made by the grandmother of one of the project leads, Basma el Doukhi. Basma’s grandmother, also called Basma el Doukhi, hand-stitched the dress over 6 months. It follows a traditional Palestinian design and reflects the colours of the Palestinian flag – red, black and white.

We look forward to welcoming you to the exhibition launch on Wednesday 22nd June at 1pm. Please contact us at Special Collections & Archives for further information, directions or if you have any access requirements. Email: specialcollections@kent.ac.uk

 

Important note – Content Warning: Please be aware that material displayed in this exhibition includes depictions of racism, othering and offensive language.

Great British Fish and Chips

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Special Collections & Archives are delighted to be hosting a new exhibition in our Templeman Library Gallery – Great British Fish and Chips, which will run from 22nd June to September 2022.  

Colour illustration of a plate of fish and chips with condiments labelled with their place of origin, such as cod from the Faroe Islands, vinegar from the United States and lemon from Spain or Turkey

Copyright: Olivier Kugler and Andrew Humphreys

 

The exhibition, originally commissioned by Counterpoints Arts, explores how the history of Britain’s favourite dish is rooted in migration, movement and global trade. Reportage artist Olivier Kugler, and writer Andrew Humphreys, reveal everyday stories of migration through illustrating the lives and experiences of fish and chip shop owners across Kent.  

To complement the exhibition we are looking for people to join us in exploring our Special Collections & Archives in relation to the themes of migration and movement.  

This project offers a unique opportunity for participants to join a Research and Curation Group to learn more about archive practice and gain skills and experience in researching and working with archive collections, while sharing perspectives and experiences in a safe and supportive environment.  

The group is open to members of the public across Kent as well as students and staff at the University of Kent. We especially would like to encourage people with lived experience of migration to join the group and explore the archives. Weekly sessions will include tours of the collections, with practical sessions of different aspects of researching and working with archives.  

Group members will co-curate a display of original items from the archive collections that will be displayed alongside the existing exhibition boards. They will research and write captions to describe their chosen items, develop blog posts and social media content about their experiences in the archives, and lead tours of the displayed archives.  

Places are free but numbers are limited so please get in touch to secure your place. Please note that to join the group you need to be able to take part in all three weekly sessions, taking place on Wednesday 8th June (10am-1pm), Wednesday 15th June (10am-4pm), and Wednesday 22nd June (10am-4pm).    

For more information about the project or to request to join the group please contact Beth Astridge or Karen Brayshaw in Special Collections & Archives: specialcollections@kent.ac.uk  

This project has been funded by the University of Kent Migration and Movement Research and Engagement Award Fund 2022.   

The original exhibition The Great British Fish and Chips was commissioned by Counterpoints Arts in partnership with Turner Contemporary and Canterbury Cathedral and was displayed in locations around Kent from June to November 2021.