Graveyard of Lost Species to commemorate the lost industries and species that once thrived, The Arts Catalyst

The basis of this project is a public monument using a local boat, the ‘Souvenir’ – a 40ft 12 ton Thames bawley, rescued from the estuary mud. The boat has been cleaned and re-configured. Working with local craftsmen, the artists will laser cut the lost species into the vessel’s surface. Once the text has been cut into the boat’s surface and interior, she will be sailed back onto the marshes as a part of the local landscape again. The project is intended to act as a monument of Leigh’s past and future for and with community involvement that is written on the boat. Graveyard of Lost Species involves recording ‘species’ from wildlife, marine creatures, livelihoods, fishing methods, landmarks and local dialects that once flourished in the Estuary and are now disappearing. The artists are leading a set of enquiries with people in Leigh-on-Sea and Southend to gather local knowledge of and expertise about ‘lost species’.