Described as “an open-air museum of English culture, history and tradition—a microcosm from which a general impression of the whole country can be gained” (Eric de Maré, Time on the Thames, 1952), the River Thames is England’s longest river, flowing through nine counties on a 215-mile journey from its source near Cirencester in Gloucestershire, to the mouth at Southend, where it meets the North Sea.
Throughout its course there is evidence of human interaction and control for work and recreation, with the construction of locks, weirs and embankments from its Industrial Revolution days as a trading super-highway, to modern interventions such as hydro-power, the Thames Flood Barrier, and the creation of the Thames Path, utilising the old towpaths to form a continuous leisure trail.
In 2025, Allchurch followed the River Thames over a calendar year, exploring 12 locations along its course, one for each month of the year, from its source in January at Thames Head in the Cotswolds, to the mouth at Southend-on-Sea in December. Each location, spaced at around 20-mile intervals, was chosen to add a different facet to the story of the Thames today.
The resulting twelve scenes in FLOW are her own compositions, but as in some previous works, take inspiration from Hiroshige’s ‘One Hundred Famous Views of Edo’ (1856-8) in their vertical format, sense of place, and use of near/far devices. Themes explored include the seasons, flora and fauna, topography, and the use (and abuse) of the river – from leisure activities and power generation to more reckless interventions such as litter and pollution.
The artworks in FLOW illustrate the passage of the Thames as it unfolds from the almost timeless pastoral landscape of its upper reaches, via the ultra-managed river banks of London, to the industrialised stretches east of the capital. The works celebrate the natural beauty to be found along the entirety of the river, despite the pressure from human impact.
As with all of Allchurch’s work, each scene is an intricately constructed digital photographic collage assembled from many hundreds of photographs she takes on location, the resulting image capturing the essence of her experience of being there at a particular time of year.
In early 2026, a complete set of FLOW was acquired by the Imperial Health Charity to be permanently displayed in a newly-refurbished wing at Charing Cross Hospital, West London.
Available as archival C-Type prints – Edition of 15 + 2 APs. Image size: 72 cm H x 48cm W
FLOW – Description of individual works.pdf (40Kb) >
FLOW debuts at a solo exhibition with James Freeman Gallery, London N1, from 21 May – 20 June 2026.
FLOW at James Freeman Gallery – Exhibition Catalogue.pdf (3.3Mb) >