Art'chaeology...
In September '16 I was asked to participate in a series of art'chaeology events in Jersey, C.I. Art'chaeology is a fusion of art and archaeology, where the former responds to the latter, as oppose to when art and archaeology deep map together in a conversation.
The first of these was a bilingual exhibition at CCA International, St. Helier. The four artists involved (Karen Le Roy Harris, Artist Matt Falle, Fleur Helluin and Amelia Delaunay) had engaged in a residency to explore the links between art and archaeology from sites in both Jersey and France, through sculpture and installation, fine art and visual narrative. The private view was opened by Sir Philip Bailhache, attended by the President of Normandy and organised by Jersey Arts Trust- who hosted us at the stunning Chateau Vermont, which is also home to the Jersey Academy of Music.
The second event involved a presentation about the residency by three of the artists, contexted by an overview of Jersey's archaeology from Ice Age Island by Dr. Martin Bates along with background to the professional practice of art'chaeology from me. This was to an amalgamation of A'Level art students from various Sixth Forms, hosted by Hautier School in St. Saviour, which has the most incredible art staff and department.
Afterwards we engaged in a workshop to create a multimedia art'chaeology mural; with pinch pots and poetry, fine art, abstraction and performance.
The sessions ended with a public Q&A back at CCA, chaired by Jackie Rutter from Hautlier.
My thanks extend to Jersey Arts Trust for their invitation and hospitality, to the school for their incredible enthusiasm and informed perspective, to CCA - and to Karen, Fleur, Amelia, Matt and Karine, who saw the cracks between disciplines and filled them with creation.
Hautlier School, St. Saviours, with a selection of artefacts for the students to work from and a prepared wall on which to create a mural.
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Karen taught the students how to make pinch pots, which were then nailed to the wall.
the shell holds layers
from everywhere she has been
laminating time
Pencils traced the past
through student's eyes, artefacts
waking in stories.
The finished mural
The team (l>r); Fleur Helluin, Me, Amelia Delaunay, Martin Bates, Karen le Roy Harris.
Ready for the panel.