Throughout this week Express has been exploring street art, the impact of the Diversion exhibition, and the potential for creating a legal place to paint in Guernsey.
We’ve heard from visiting artists who said that “most places have these facilities nowadays”, and from Art for Guernsey, which suggested the relevant authorities should “commit a tunnel at no cost”.
The idea is that it would not only create artistic opportunity and provide young islanders with another potential career pathway, but also a new destination for tourists to visit when in our Bailiwick.
Now we’re turning to Guernsey Arts, the commission that has long flown the flag for local artists, and the Bailiwick’s creatives.
Jared Fox is the Visual Design and Communications Coordinator for Guernsey Arts.
As a tool for rejuvenation and development, he says the Diversion exhibition did an “amazing job of brightening up the place”.
Speaking to Express in Mill Street, he said there’s a big difference between art and vandalism, but what’s been on display in Guernsey’s Old Quarter since the summer is an example of the former.
“I think it’s a really interesting approach. If we look at street art as a whole, I think it’s often regarded with a negative connotation, but there’s a very big difference between what is actually street art, what is a piece of artwork, compared to what is vandalism?
“As I’m sure you’d agree, this is all fantastic pieces of work, and from, feedback, pretty much everywhere. It’s done an amazing job at just brightening the place up again. Shop windows aren’t just empty lots now that are rotting away. It’s got its own personality and it’s really kind of taken on a life of its own.”
Mr Fox took part in Diversion, representing himself as an artist, although public painting was a new experience for him.
“For me, personally, it was surprisingly welcoming. I had a lot of people going past us as I was doing the work, giving it the ‘make sure you clean up after yourself’ and all that, but I think that’s all just part of it.
“It’s a type of art style and a scene that really thrives on community engagement. People kind of stumble across it and give it a go, and then all of a sudden you’re knee deep in it, and exposing people to that sort of art form as well, I think is really important.
“You see stuff like this all over UK cities and further abroad, but just having the opportunity to do it over here was something I really didn’t want to pass up.”
Mr Fox said some buildings are not made for the art form taking Guernsey by storm. Due to our ribbon development, and the type of materials used in buildings, and the historical impact of some, there are areas which aren’t suitable for murals.
“I think arts benefit the community, wherever they are. In terms of work like this, Guernsey has got a very unique architecture, we’ve still got a lot of listed buildings and granite architecture. So a lot of it might not be the type of place that would be ideal for this type of work.”
However, he adds that when it comes to areas needing rejuvenation and an injection of life, street art can be a useful too.
“I think definitely in spaces where things are a bit run down or just could do with brightening up. Say there’s a building that’s going to get demolished anyway, or a work site that has blank holdings around the front. I think utilising those spaces is really, really effective.”
That’s not something new for Guernsey, with several St Peter Port hoardings utilising bright colours and vivid images to make public spaces more welcoming, and fresh examples appearing at the harbour and airport in recent months.
“A good example of that was the hoardings outside Creaseys, which collaborated with a local arts group, Sarnia Arts and Crafts,” said Jarod. “It’s not just someone going at a wall with a can of spray paint. It can be artists from all walks of life, and even poets! I mean, you could even have short stories. It really can be anything.
“I think any kind of art in the public domain, and we’ve seen it here, we’ve seen it in the archways outside the market building, even the puffins on the Halfway bus shelter, you know, I think any kind of creativity that brightens up an area, or gets people to just stop and take an extra minute in their walk to work, can really impact people’s days positively and drive tourism.
“I’d love to see Guernsey embracing more of this style of artwork. It’d be nice to see how that can be shaped alongside, you know, a blank wall space with someone who’s just a bit keen to have a go.”
So would Guernsey Arts support the island finding a legal place to paint? Somewhere where islanders are free to unleash their creativity?
The answers yes, but with a few caveats, said Jarod.
“I don’t think there’s any like reason not to. I believe that having a place that would be well organised and in a sense, managed, that might kind of go against the ethos of original street art, but in this day and age, you know, we’re kind of past that.
“Now, the communities are built around spaces where people can go and paint without having to worry about, getting arrested or whatever. There’s a real history of people who have kind of been there and done that and almost fought to have these legal spaces be a possibility.
“I think what we would want to see from the Arts Commission is either a person or a group of people who are really wanting to push for that, it’s definitely something that we consider supporting, should the right proposal come forward.
“I think exhibitions like (Diversion), and other projects that have been organised, it’s really starting to slowly expose the island. I think it would definitely be beneficial, and the main view from the Arts Commission is it’s definitely something we’d consider supporting. We just really need to have the right people to put it forward.”
Tomorrow Express will publish our final contributor article, with local Artist Tim Gaudion having his say on the future of the medium locally.