Inside the whale vault

This year I was lucky enough to be granted access to the Natural History Museum’s hidden vaults, a unique repository of bones of 6,000 whales, dolphins and porpoises that researchers at the museum and afar can visit, learn and take samples for their own work.

Coming from a working class background, I never would have imagined to gain entry to such a place, particularly as I struggled to attain even C and D grades in my secondary education. Now in my 30’s I find myself drawn to academia in my work as a Live Event Illustrator, or - to steal a phrase from Robin Ince ‘Professional Curious Idiot.’

It is through this work that I was invited into the research collection by the principle curator, Richard Sabin. We connected over stories of our own experiences with education, and our passion to make knowledge accessible.

There’s an amazing interview with Sabin in the Guardian, written by Anna Turns exploring some of the many highlights of the collection.

I was given autonomy to self-direct my work, allowing my curiosity to pull me towards different concepts to be explored in my sketchbook. This has also provided me with the opportunity to be brave, and pull my concepts off the page into a larger format.

I’m looking forward to sharing this journey as it unfolds.