Chris Orr was in Island to speak at CCA Galleries International in Hill Street where he joined Jim Moir – better known as comedian and artist Vic Reeves – for this year’s Jersey Summer exhibition, which the gallery has modelled on the Royal Academy’s celebrated show at Burlington House in Piccadilly.
The two visiting judges helped select work from the largest number of entries in the Jersey summer exhibition’s short history and at a question-and-answer session in the gallery, a number of local practitioners wanted to know how they could build on success within the Island to reach a larger public.
Mr Orr, a professor emeritus at the Royal College of Art, offered what CCA International gallery manager Sasha Gibb described as ‘a very practical’ answer to the question – take part in the London event which forms one of the highlights in the exhibition calendar, offering artists the opportunity, regardless of previous achievement, the chance to show their work in the historic gallery.
In a discussion ranging across the arts and their importance in the modern world, the two judges urged artists and their public to work together with galleries to promote art and they advocated greater emphasis on painting and drawing in schools.
‘It was a fascinating dialogue,’ Mrs Gibb said. ‘To have a comedian who is an artist and a distinguished artist who illustrates with humour produced a very thoughtful and really interesting discussion.’
Earlier, the judges awarded the summer prize – offered for the most accomplished piece entered – to Will Lakeman’s untitled atmospheric photograph taken in Waterworks Valley.
