Being Human – a Festival of the Humanities
I was delighted to work with the University of Cambridge Library to be part of the annual Being Human Festival. Our event, Lost & Found: the serendipity of collecting took place on Saturday 25 November 2017 and was an opportunity to explore the evolution of the collection, both for the private individual and institution.
“In the 19th century Cambridge scientists setting up museums relied on serendipity to acquire specimens. One of the greatest ‘found objects’ was a whale that washed up on Pevensey Bay, Sussex, in 1865. Today, artist Jo Atherton works with objects gathered on the UK coastline. In this talk Jo will discuss the nature of lost and found objects with historian Boris Jardine. They will reflect on the moment of discovery, explore when lost becomes found, and examine the very human desire to collect. You can also view an exhibition of found objects from Cambridge University Library and Jo’s collection.”
Some comments about the event
Jo Atherton 