work of the lightship men: 1000 tasks

A written work by poet Kay Syrad, commissioned in 2013 for a multi-media art project, ‘Last Station’, funded by ACE, with support from Trinity House and inspired by the history and work of the manned Light Vessels stationed around the British Isles from 1732–1989. The book takes the form of a fold-out poem, the text arranged in a particular format, a verb starting each line, which enumerate the tasks performed by lightship workers. The tasks described are authentic tasks performed by light men, drawn from reading of autobiographical accounts, professional journals, instruction manuals, and interviews of the lightship men. The rhythm of the verses echoes the rhythm of the flickering lights of the light vessels.

Object Details

ID: ZBA6674
Type: Artist Book
Display location: Not on display
Creator: Syrad, Kay
Date made: 2013
Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London
Measurements: Box: 228 mm x 317 mm x 44 mm