After a year of capturing passers by and tree scapes around the conservation area of Christ Church Reading, the White Nights project moves to document the story of the last fish to swim from land locked UK. Geological eras brought water over the whole of the UK and fossils are found under soil to tell the story of the last gulp fish had in our land bound counties.

Observations made through time spent exploring Whiteknights Reading. The conservation area is called Christ Church and has a proud geological history. Millions of years ago when the UK was below sea level the fish called this area home. Some of the geology is in place today to tell the story. I wonder about the story of the last fish as they swam away from land that would not see the sea again. I wrote a short piece of verse from the point of view of the fish and post this below. It fascinates me that there was a time that the UK was once a sea bed and our soil was home to early primitive fish. I wonder what the fish saw as they made their escape.

Participate in a free short textile workshop to explore more here

Sink 

The dots on the water look like pearls 

Before the whispers on the pebble catch me

 I wonder if this happens often 

There is light passing between every other rock

Sink

like the last of the summer plankton

I wonder where the old fish bones go they are just swimming around out there.

I can see their eyes blink 

I don’t know where they come from. 

The waves go still and the sun fades and I see fish bones floating high on the water   No. The waves just couldn’t get passed the rock and then there is silence and I see I am up against a big solid block of shining fish. 

So many fish. 

They all look the same. 

Under under under the water 

That’s how you drown a fish 

THERE IS NO ROCK

There is a weird sort of silence. No struggle. Just the thought of a white flag

It is a white night and it is a last supper to remember