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Q&A: Jersey 'Misfits' aim to poke fun at art establishment

Q&A: Jersey 'Misfits' aim to poke fun at art establishment

Friday 05 April 2024

Q&A: Jersey 'Misfits' aim to poke fun at art establishment

Friday 05 April 2024


Local creative arts tutors are hoping to poke some fun at the "sometimes pretentiousness of the art establishment" in a soon-to-launch exhibition.

The group of tutors from Highlands College will be leading by example by exhibiting their work at Jersey Arts Centre’s Berni Gallery.

Gary Grimshaw, Sarah Gabison, Peter Thomson and Chantal Venton will be displaying a variety of work, including photographs, prints, ceramics and illustrations as well as the materials and techniques they share with their students.

Titled ‘Mélange de Misfits’, the exhibition will also include work from theArt Department’s Artist in Residence, Paige Le Geyt. Opening on Monday 15 April, the show will be open until Tuesday 4 May. Ahead of its opening, Chantal shared a few details about this unusual mix... 

Can you tell us about the exhibition and how it came to be? 

It’s a continuation of exhibitions we have done in the past. The Art Department tutors are dual professionals, all continuing practicing artists. We exhibit our work regularly and believe it is a fundamental skill for all art tutors – after all, we practice what we preach. 

What kind of work will be on display? 

The work on display will consist of photography, print, illustration, and sculpture to name a few.Each individual tutor will be showcasing their specialist practice, there is no set theme for the work.  

Why is it important as tutors to continue practicing your craft and showing your work? 

Continuing to develop our practice directly impacts on our learners, from techniques to presentation and all the details that most wouldn’t consider to be a part of the process of being an artist. These skills are then brought back into the classroom. 

It is also important for the students to see our work from a credibility perspective.Being creative is not a vocation, but intrinsically a part of us. It is a compulsion and necessary. We want to share our passions and educate the public about the staff and art department of Highlands College.  

Why did you choose 'Melange de Misfits' as the title for the exhibition? 

The title, ‘Melange de Misfits’, was created as a humorous joke at the sometimes pretentiousness of the art establishment. The use of language also adds a layer of pretentiousness, but the words are chosen to communicate humour.The term ‘Misfits’, when describing creatives, seems appropriate and the ‘Melange’, was chosen to indicate the variety of work on display. 

READ MORE...

This article first appeared in the April edition of Connect Magazine, which you can read in full below...

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