Commissions

Alison Cooke

The Future Archaeology of Ebbsfleet

Two people stand looking at the display of ceramic objects made as part of Alison Cooke's 'Future Archaeology of Ebbsfleet', on the estuary foreshore at Greenhithe, adjacent to the site where the clay was dug.

Alison Cooke, The Future Archaeology of Ebbsfleet, 2021. Photo: Lydia Brockless

A hand picks up the ceramic objects, made as part of Alison Cooke's 'Future Archaeology of Ebbsfleet', from a red crate lined with padding..

Alison Cooke, The Future Archaeology of Ebbsfleet, 2021. Photo: Lydia Brockless

A person, crouching on the banks of the River Thames, returns the ceramic objects made as part of Alison Cooke's 'Future Archaeology of Ebbsfleet' to the river.

Alison Cooke, The Future Archaeology of Ebbsfleet, 2021. Photo: Lydia Brockless

For Future Archaeology of Ebbsfleet, Alison Cooke distributed 100 balls of clay, dug from the Thames Estuary, to local people and asked them to make Future Archaeology.

The earth around Ebbsfleet and Swanscombe is famous for its archaeological finds. With this in mind, the people of Ebbsfleet were asked to make an object with the clay, something that could show future generations a glimpse of the way we live now.

The creations were collected, fired and displayed on the estuary foreshore at Greenhithe, adjacent to the site the clay was dug, as part of the final weekend of Estuary 2021. After which, the makers either collected their pieces or contributed them to Future Archaeology, by returning their ceramics to the estuary for future archaeologists to find.

Future Archaeology of Ebbsfleet stems from Alison’s current research into the parallels between the past and present of the area, where histories repeat, overlap or come full circle, and was developed through a This Must Be the Place micro-commission, responding to Ebbsfleet Garden City and its communities.

This Must Be the Place is a three-year programme, co-led by young people from Ebbsfleet Garden City and the surrounding areas in collaboration with commissioned artists, to produce site-specific artworks and shape Ebbsfleet Garden City as it is built. The project is supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England, and by Ebbsfleet Development Corporation.