Scratching the surface of local history: Encountering the republished works of Ken Cooper

The pamphlets of local amateur historian Ken Cooper were unearthed at a car boot sale by artists Bristow & Lloyd and subsequently republished for new audiences at a number of festivals, exhibitions and institutions. The work playfully speculates on historical knowledge, weaving the imaginary persona of Ken and his ability to misinterpret, with information drawn from social and archival sources. By presenting a re-interpretation of local history it was hoped that readers would reflect on how they know what they know and in so doing, encourage discussions around ways in which we remember, forget, construct or share knowledge. Placing the work in the public realm and within heritage contexts raised a number of issues around how such a strategy worked.