Occupation-themed arts events launched
A ‘REALLY busy year’ of Occupation-themed arts events begins today, with the launch in London of an exhibition to showcase Guernsey to the wider world.
Putting Guernsey in the Frame features the work of 10 local artists at London City Airport from today until 14 April. A further 200 submissions will be exhibited digitally.
The exhibition has been organised by Guernsey Arts in partnership with Aurigny and London City, calling upon artists to meet a brief to ‘celebrate and share everything that makes our islands so special’.
An event a little closer to home will begin before the end of the month, with Dear Unknown Friend – a contemporary art exhibition looking at the topic of evacuation. It will feature the work of 13 local artists developed in response to archive materials from the period.
This takes place at the Greenhouse Gallery at Candie between 28 March and 22 June, which means it will run through to the 85th anniversary of the first evacuations following the demilitarisation of the Channel Islands.
A couple of weeks later, the George Crossan Gallery – in the mezzanine space overlooking the Inner Street of the markets building in St Peter Port – will host a Liberation Timeline, which will remain on display until 16 June.
This is an exhibition which has involved a number of organisations and institutions including Guernsey Arts, Guernsey Museums, the Priaulx Library, the Guille-Alles Library and Guernsey Archives.
More than 300 poems were submitted for consideration for the 80th Liberation Poetry Anthology and Audio Trail, of which 80 will be published and recorded.
‘We’ve got a really busy year ahead of us this year,’ said Russ Fossey, the head of arts development with Guernsey Arts.
‘It’s a very big year in terms of celebrating the liberation and in commemorating the whole Occupation period. And it’s very important – this five years of Guernsey’s history had a major impact on our island, on our heritage and on who we are.’
He said most people who had been around at that time had now been lost, so it was particularly important to ensure the period was not forgotten.
Like Mr Fossey, Guernsey Arts’ partnerships development executive Louise Le Pelley has been working on this year’s Occupation-themed events since the beginning of last year.
‘Our exhibitions are very much about giving local creatives a chance to explore and discover heritage and opportunities,’ she said, ‘as well as giving as many people as possible a chance to go and see an exhibition.’
On Liberation Day itself, Guernsey Arts will be busy hosting music and family entertainment at Castle Cornet in an event entitled Commemoration, Celebration and Reflection.
