First Thursday Late Opening

Join us for an after-hours chance to see the Raw Materials exhibition at the Nunnery Gallery, exploring the forgotten industrial history of plastic in east London. Find out how the very first man-made plastic was invented in Hackney Wick in the 1860s and trace the history of plastics’ development and manufacture in east London. Discover little-known stories behind a fascinating collection of objects, from ‘parkesine’ (an early Victorian plastic) billiard balls to imitation shark-skin or 'shagreen' trinket boxes, together with newly commissioned work from resident designer/maker Peter Marigold and resident artist Frances Scott.

Raw Materials explores the forgotten industrial history of plastic in east London around the River Lea. The exhibition reveals the story of east London's central role in the invention and early development of plastics, showcasing some of the very first plastic objects alongside newly commissioned artwork which tell the story of this material’s remarkable journey. Read more about the exhibition here.

Raw Materials: Plastics has been made possible through the generous support of the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the project’s academic partner UCL.

Photo credit: Rob Harris