Picture perfect ending to exhibition

Friday 14 November 2014

An exhibition to remember times of conflict is one a Jersey artist and his muse will never forget.

Kevin Pallot was one of a hundred local artists to create a piece for Art in the Frame's Remembering exhibition - but he never expected to meet the man in his painting.

Kevin found Chelsea pensioner Frank Mouque on the internet and was inspired to recreate the 89 year-old's lived-in expression on canvas. But he also wanted to find out more about the man he'd painted. He managed to track Frank down in London and get him over to Jersey for a very special Remembrance Day for them both.

Kevin said: “It was incredible, really emotional the fact that this man that I’d painted, I didn’t even know that he was still alive, I didn’t know what his personality was like – he surpassed everything I thought he would be like – he was fighting fit and this larger than life character.”

The De La Salle College teacher is not only an artist in his spare time but a singer songwriter too and has written "The Soldier" about Frank. Last night he performed it live for the Chelsea pensioner and all the other guests at the opening of the new "We Have Remembered" exhibition at The Harbour Gallery that features war horses, zeppelins, rag rugs, poppies and suffragette sashes made by the Island's primary schoolchildren.

Kevin said: “It’s a really poignant exhibition and it’s really important that we remember the sacrifices that these soldiers made.”

One thing that he won't forget is the very special friendship that has come out of it.

He said: “It’s a moment in my life that I’ll never forget, something I didn’t expect to happen and for me personally – I’ve been known as a musician but not done many paintings in recent years – it’s inspired me to keep going and I’ve really enjoyed the experience. Through my art I’ve met this amazing solider and we’ve become friends and I’ve probably written one of my best songs.

The exhibition runs until 23 November when Kevin's painting will come down and move to a new home - Frank's!