By Cathy Le Feuvre
An exhibition in the Link Gallery at the Jersey Museum bringing together the work of a collective of local contemporary photographers and creatives is a fascinating and thought-provoking look into the diverse cultural worlds which exist in Jersey.
For Max Burnett, who works as a commercial photographer, his iconic images of the art of beekeeping is a glimpse into a larger series documenting the production of honey in the Island and the personalities involved in the art of beekeeping.
From images of beekeeping and fishing, to a glimpse into Jersey’s night life and an exploration of societal values and inequality, Our Island Communities features the work of Will Lakeman, Max Burnett, Anar Noonan, Max Le Feuvre, Max Baudains and Shan O’Donnell.
The exhibition marks the relaunch of the Photographic Section at Société Jersiaise, and it brings together up and coming photographers who are making it their business to document different aspects of what ‘community’ means in Jersey. It immortalises differing lives and experiences being lived here in Jersey right now.
Max Baudains is primarily concerned with maritime culture and is following Yannic Pigon, a young fisherman working out of Gorey.
Max Le Feuvre is a freelance photographer captivated by space as well as personalities. His series of pictures of fishermen at St Catherine’s Breakwater was a project that started during the Covid lockdowns of 2020, and explores something that many have discovered … that fishing can often be a therapeutic and cathartic activity.
Will Lakeman loves to explore empty buildings and his contribution to Our Island Communities includes thought-provoking images of places that have been recently abandoned and emptied. Anar Noonan is a book artist working predominately with photography. His selection of images comes from an ongoing body of work in which he admits he ‘struggles to reconcile living within a community polarised by extreme wealth inequality and the practicalities of providing for a young family’.
Shan O’Donnell presents a series of photographs based on a project she’s doing called ‘Friends on Film’. She started capturing moments in the lives of her friends group on a 35mm point and shoot camera back in 2019, and it’s part of her ongoing project to capture ‘curated memories, queer joy, love and friendship’. It’s a love letter to her ‘wonderful friends’ with whom she’s sharing life and adventures.
Our Island Communities is at the Link Gallery at the Jersey Museum until February 26.
