AN art exhibition curated by two Islanders ‘to celebrate the creative talent’ in Jersey opens tomorrow in St Helier.
The Work Hard and Be Nice exhibition, put together by Ben Robertson and Will Bertram, showcases the work of a variety of local artists. It will be on display at The Merchants coffee shop, in Beresford Street, until 4 February.
There will also be a special preview evening today from 5.30pm when the shop will be closed for coffee and open specifically to showcase the art, which is available to purchase.
Each piece will have its own QR code which visitors can scan to take them to a website to learn more about each artist.
Mr Robertson, who works as a mural artist, said: ‘There is no recurring theme with the pieces we have selected other than the fact that they are either all from Jersey or practise in Jersey.’
He added: ‘We wanted to make sure we didn’t give precedence to any one particular artist and I think that is why the title Work Hard and Be Nice fits as it is people I’d like to help out, whether that is because they are a nice person or to showcase the hard work they have done.’
James Grant, owner of The Merchants coffee shop, said the collaboration between the trio had been ‘organic’.
The shop usually has artwork, chosen by Mr Grant, hanging on the walls for sale. He said he had wanted to use the space as an opportunity for local artists to showcase their work.
‘I knew Ben from school, have been familiar with his work for some time and knew he would be a great fit for putting together an exhibition. He has got Will involved as his wingman and it is all about collaboration. It is important that they can bounce ideas off each other as the show is an eclectic mix of different artists,’ he said.
‘The idea is to celebrate the creative talent in the Island and provide a platform for genuine people to showcase their work,’ he added.
