Saturday, April 23, 2016

Museum of British Folklore exhibitions

Lots of exciting stuff happening with the Museum of British Folklore this year - these exhibitions look great! In case you weren't aware, Simon Costin is Director of the Museum of British Folklore and the Museum of Witchcraft and Magic so if you like what you see at the Museum of Witchcraft and Magic then these exhibitions will probably be for you too.


Pick Me Up Graphic Arts Festival
Beach London x The Museum of British Folklore running from 21st April to 2nd May at Somerset House.


Following on from a collaborative exhibition earlier in the year, Beach London have teamed up with The Museum of British Folklore once again to champion the unusual cultural traditions that continue to be practiced across the British Isles. Work from Heresy, Rob Flowers, Alex May Hughes and Maria Ines Gul will feature alongside the items that inspired the pieces including May Day offerings, traditional outfits and dolls belonging to Morris teams from the museum’s collection.
Excerpt taken from 

For more information see:




Morris Folk at the Weald & Downland Museum
29th April - 12th June 2016
Open Daily 10.30am – 6.00pm

Two years ago the museum began an ongoing project to document the hundreds of Morris sides currently active in Britain by getting the teams to replicate their distinctive costumes in miniature. To make the process easier and to allow the characteristics of the costumes to be highlighted, a plain cloth doll was commissioned. The doll has no features, allowing makers the freedom to embellish it as they see fit. Enabling contributors to have complete artistic expression ensures that the project is truly collaborative, with the resulting dolls being an accurate representation of their respective sides.

The completed dolls have exceeded all expectations - the immense time and care that has been taken to recreate the costumes as faithfully as possible is evident in the finished articles. They have been made with amazing attention to detail: from the inclusion of human hair, to miniature buttons and accessories.

As well as being a more generic document, the dolls sometimes reflect a point in time in a Morris side’s existence. For example, Bakanalia Morris’ captain - or ‘squire’ in Morris parlance - had a broken leg whilst the side’s doll was being created. Consequently, the finished doll is replete with miniature leg splint. This kind of feature is typical of the spirit in which people have contributed to the project.

The Museum of British Folklore will also be taking part in the Caught by the Thames Festival.

For more information on the Museum of British Folklore see:

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