Art for Guernsey’s Finding Turner ‘journey’ continues with new exhibtion

Joseph Mallord William Turner came to the island in or around 1832 and spent about six months in the island intensively sketching.

He produced more than 100 sketches which are now in custody of Tate Britain.

As with its Renoir journey, Art for Guernsey has adopted a four-year plan to celebrate the heritage that Turner left in the island.

An exhibition of works by Merlyn Chesterman, Damon Kowarsky, Charlie McFarley and Gideon Summerfield will be on display from today until Saturday 21 June.

‘This second instalment of our Finding Turner journey promises to be something quite special, bringing together four distinct international artists to response to the inspiration that Turner created in his Guernsey sketchbook during his visit to the islands,’ said Art for Guernsey’s Jock Pettitt.

‘The artists have created a stunning selection of works in woodcut, pencil, paint, etching and pastels that explore the same landscapes that inspired Turner.

‘We couldn’t be more excited to share this body of work.

‘The features, the landscapes we know so well, in ways that we haven’t seen before, applying a contemporary lens to capture the light and energy that reflect on the inspiration of the past.

‘It is as if the artists have taken these sketches and brought them to life through their own creative process.’

Last year Art for Guernsey began to discover the significance of Turner’s visit to Guernsey and launched the Turner Trails, marking the notable locations that Turner captured in his sketchbook.

A collective mural artwork made by schools across the Bailiwick will also feature in the exhibition.

‘This year our main event will be the curation of the body of work that four international artists have spent a year producing, inspired by Turner and the locations that he visited, side-by-side with the school murals,’ said Art for Guernsey founder David Ummels.

‘We have established an excellent relationship with Tate Britain and we are proud to be part of the national programme of events that will celebrate the big anniversary of Turner in the UK.’

THE ARTISTS

Merlyn Chesterman is a British printmaker specialising in woodcuts.

Damon Kowarsky is an Australian artist known for intricate etchings and drawings that blend architecture and the landscape.

Charlie Mcfarley grew up in 1980s London and his passion for graffiti blossomed into a deeper involvement with the music and street cultures that defined that era, influencing his work and creative evolution.

London-based artist Gideon Summerfield has a passion for capturing human stories, and he met and drew portraits of Holocaust survivors when he was just 19 years old. Gideon was personally chosen by HM King Charles III to capture the Royal Coronation in May 2023 and subsequently produced a series of large paintings that are part of the Royal Collection.