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Welcome to The Last Argosy.

The Last Argosy is an experimental visual language site creating work from found items and archives. We are currently developing the site and growing the Argosy network, exploring constructed narrative and visual language generated through found items and archives. The collaboration with other creatives including writers and actors aids the multiple construct of narrative, occurrences and contexts. Generated content is used to create works and analysed for recurring themes and perspectives from the participants.

Current projects include:

Edward Rigg

Works produced from the slide archive belonging to a former RAF pilot Edward Rigg. The slide archive is a fascinating insight into the last days of the British Empire as seen from a very personal perspective. Edward was a former test pilot and also flew the Argosy cargo planes supplying British forces in Africa in the 60’s. The design process used to generate the works are documented, which can be viewed at: http://issuu.com/jrkelly/docs/a3_design_doc_update_rigg and the final outcomes at lastargosy.com (under development). We are looking for writers and filmmakers to collaborate on this project.

Records

The discovery in a second hand shop of two small cardboard boxes stuffed full of curious fragments of paper has proved to be a fruitful starting point for narrative development. Close inspection of the contents dating from the late 1940s revealed scraps of information relating to cigarette sales, recipes for home cures and ice cream making equipment located in Lancashire. The mystery of who wrote and saved these notes, and why have they ended up in a second hand shop in Huddersfield sparked creative work, reimagining the characters and lost world that they evoke. The abundance of ephemera contained within provided a rich graphical and typographical record of the period and has been an inspiration for contemporary artists reflecting on the beautiful tactile and historical nature of the resource. We are looking for actors, writers and social historians to collaborate on this project.

Brick Lane

A fabulous collection of data found on Brick Lane, London. The archive documents a Bangladeshi family building a textile import & export business in the 50’s and 60’s and it’s final demise in the 80’s. The Archive has a tactile and personal feel, giving insights into the early occupation of the Bangladeshi community in Brick Lane.

We are looking for writers, scriptwriters, actors and social historians to work on this project.

We are interested in everyday archives and items relating to personal history and narrative.