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A series of water-themed murals adorning the arches at Elizabeth Marina are due to be unveiled this evening... But what's the meaning behind them?
The project, sponsored by Jersey Water and led by ArtHouse Jersey, aims to communicate the importance of water conservation in an accessible and engaging way through the medium of public art.
Five artists from Jersey, the UK, and Spain were selected from over 40 applicants to participate in the initiative earlier this year.
The chosen artists—Will Bertram, Robert Allen, Lucy Oates, Zara Le Cornu, and Oli Nightingale—have been working throughout the summer to create triptych murals.
These are pictures in three parts that together make up one image that explores the theme 'Water, water, everywhere'.
The project involved collaboration with local community groups, including Menships, Art Bombs, Never Too Old, and Art in Focus at The Harbour Gallery.
Workshops led by local visual artist Ben Robertson were held with these groups, which helped to generate inspiration for the murals.
Picutred: The before.
Tom Dingle, Director of ArtHouse Jersey, explained that the project aims to convey a serious message in a lighthearted way.
He explained: "It's a community project where we worked with the Harbour Gallery and different community groups.
"The selected artists worked with these groups to explore the theme of water and create a piece of public art that is available to everyone."
Pictured: Robert Allen is a Jersey-based artist and teacher whose contemporary landscape paintings and drawings are inspired by the changing tides and harbours around the island. (Danny Richardson Photography)
"It conveys key messages about the importance of water while still being fun and vibrant and bringing life to a new space that many of the public enjoy already," he continued.
He added that the charity has "long considered" the configuration of Elizabeth Marina to have great potential for artistic expression – an opportunity that has come about thanks to a donation from a donor.
Helier Smith, CEO of Jersey Water, said he hopes the initiative will promote awareness of water conservation and encourage islanders to think carefully about their water use.
Pictured: Will Bertram takes inspiration from the island's varied coastline, climate change, and pop culture (Danny Richardson Photography).
He said: "Making sure our island has a sustainable water supply for future generations is a key priority for Jersey Water, particularly with the impact of population growth and climate change.
"We hope the project inspires them to think about their water use today and what the island needs to secure water for tomorrow."
Abi Nance, Director of Communications at Jersey Water, added: "We want people to think about their water use, what would happen if there wasn't a drop for people to use."
Pictured: Oli Nightingale is a Jersey-born artist who is now based in Spain. (Danny Richardson Photography)
"We want people to think about the future, about how increased droughts and population may impact our water supply in Jersey," she added.
The idea for the project originated with Mary Venturini, who envisioned brightening up the marina area.
"I thought it would liven up the area, be a good community project, and great for Jersey tourism," she said.
To celebrate the completion of the murals, ArtHouse Jersey and Jersey Water are hosting a launch event this Thursday at 18:00 at the Horizon building opposite Elizabeth Marina.
Attendees will have the opportunity to hear about the project's background and take a walk with the artists to view the murals before sundown.
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Public art project to transform Elizabeth Marina
Pictured top: Lucy Oates, who is based in Bristol, works closely with communities to produce and create site-specific artworks. (Danny Richardson Photography).
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