Thou shalt have a fishie, When the boat comes in: A Northumberland Menagerie

‘A Northumberland Menagerie’ is a stunning series of new exhibitions by artist Bethan Maddocks.  

A ‘menagerie’ is the term used for a collection of wild animals kept in captivity for exhibition. Museums Northumberland and Bethan Maddocks invite you to explore our menagerie of extraordinary new animal-themed exhibitions across our four museums. Discover stories of Northumberland’s animals – past and present, real, and imagined – through Bethan’s magical, paper-cut installations.  

A stunning school of papercut fish flows through Morpeth Chantry Bagpipe Museum as a playful reference to the Chantry building’s former use as a school on the banks of the river Wansbeck. ‘Thou shalt have a fishie, When the boat comes in’ explores Northumberland’s fishing and folk traditions through local songs and lyrics held in the Northumbrian Minstrelsy. 

With artist thanks to: Jona Aal for technical assistance, Catriona Maddocks and Rémi Bec for artist assistance, the Staff at Museums Northumberland, the many artists, collaborators, and researchers who helped along the way and to all the communities, both human and animal, who donated their time and stories to ‘A Northumberland Menagerie’. 

‘A Northumberland Menagerie’ has been made possible with public funding from Northumberland County Council and Arts Council England.