I was one of the lucky ones who avoided the horror of having my stuff confiscated when I was at school. We all knew that if a teacher took your beloved property with the promise of giving it back at the end of the day, there was a slim chance of that happening – and judging from the 250 plus items that feature in this new exhibition at the V&M Museum of Childhood, we weren’t wrong.
Teacher and artist Guy Tarrant recovered forgotten knick-knacks from over 150 state schools in the capital and they make up this intriguing retrospective. Many of the items – like the Gameboy, treasure troll and friendship bracelets – might just bring back heartwarming memories, while the homemade bomb and air pistol are more of a chilling reminder of why teachers need to lay down the law. Still, it all makes quite a fascinating statement about pupil deviant behaviour over the last 30 years (and who knows, you might just recognise something of your own!)
On from 9 November to 1 June 2014. For more info, visit: www.museumofchildhood.org.uk/whats-on/exhibitions-and-displays/confiscation-cabinets
