Mudlark

Photographic Typologies of found objects collected on the St. Louis Riverfront, MO

St. Louis Lambert International Airport, Terminal 1 Light Boxes

Sept 2020 - 2021

Kristin Cassidy's works highlight a unique collection of artifacts discovered by the artist along the banks of the Mississippi River in St. Louis. Decades of exposure to the elements have sculpted their forms. Embedded in the mud these found objects act as a time capsule of the people and events that were once present along the riverfront. The items within each collection started out the same way or for the same purpose and ended up in the same place, but they reflect very different experiences. The selection of artifacts was not predetermined. It is a result of what the river chose to reveal. As objects accumulated certain patterns emerged. New additions alter how the objects relate with one another and practices in organization and arrangement allow for rediscovery and reinterpretation. In Mudlark the artifacts have been re-presented without context to highlight the nuances of their history. Each object has been given a stage to tell its story, which otherwise would be washed away by time.

Gears (c. 1870 - 1940)

Marbles (c. 1870 - 1950)

Bottle Stoppers (c. 1880-1920)