WATER-THEMED murals adorning the arches at Elizabeth Marina were officially unveiled yesterday evening.
The project, sponsored by Jersey Water and led by ArtHouse Jersey, aims to communicate the importance of water conservation 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 – pictures in three parts that together make up one image – exploring 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.
ArtHouse Jersey director Tom Dingle said: “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.”
He added: “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 added that the charity had “long considered” the Elizabeth Marina to have great potential for “artistic expression”.
Jersey Water chief executive Helier Smith 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.”
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 held a launch event yesterday evening which provided an opportunity for Islanders to hear about its background.
