A book which digs away at the “muddied idea of Englishness” will be launched at Babylon Gallery in Ely.

Ely Standard: The Day of the Duck book launch in Ely will take place at Babylon Gallery from 3pm. Picture: Gordon Shrigley.The Day of the Duck book launch in Ely will take place at Babylon Gallery from 3pm. Picture: Gordon Shrigley. (Image: Archant)

Artists Helen Stratford and Lawrence Bradby will showcase The Day of the Duck with performances, readings, sound effects, refreshments and maybe even a duck or two.

The Day of the Duck employs the twin forms of play script and instructional manual to dig away at the muddied idea of Englishness.

This ‘Duck Noir’ story follows a Muscovy duck as it questions the residents of the rural Fenland city of Ely.

Waddling past The Maltings on its journey from a footpath in the Fens up to the Market Square, it applies a cool forensic analysis to behaviour in public space.

The Day of the Duck evolved out of A Day with a Duck, artist’s residency and gallery presentation at Babylon Gallery in 2012.

The Day of the Duck is published by Marmalade Publishers of Visual Theory with Gordon Shrigley as editor, graphic design by Paul Oldman of Smith Design and printing by Biddles, Kings Lynn.

The launch will take place on Saturday December 8 from 3pm to 5pm.

There will be a limited edition artists’ book of 500 copies which will retail for £15.99.