College Gardens Public Art Commission

As part of the redevelopment of the former JCG site, we are thrilled to have the opportunity to create a 'Percentage for Art' public art commission that reflects the important social, economic, educational and cultural achievements made by the former Jersey College for Girls school.

The specific aim of the project is to create a public art display that will leave a cultural legacy for future generations, as well as engaging the school and its students on a project, which has great potential to build esteem, pride and cultural inheritance.

The project will commence this September and will actively involve students and staff at JCG. Within the Autumn term curriculem, they will be researching how women's roles in society changed from 1888 to 1999. In total, 15 classes comprising of approximately 22 students in each will undertake the project research in lessons. The students will then be asked to undertake a homework project, whereby they will write up their findings with a view to potentially make a school presentation in small groups of 5.

In December, all of the written entries will be collated and the selected groups will make a presentation in a school assembly, where students will vote on their favourite Alumni. An official judging panel will then make the final decision on the selected alumni and an anouncement will be made at the end of the Autumn term.

After reviewing the school's history and most notable alumni, set against the cultural backdrop of women's changing roles in society over the last century, A-Level Art & Design students will commence in January 2017 the production of a highly sophisticated and dramatic visual schematic that represents seminal moments in the school's 20th century social history.

The chosen artist, Derek Tristram is a professional local artisanal stonemason, who specialises in all aspects of masonry, (best known for his monumental stone carvings in local granite at Corbiere and St Aubin's village). Derek is also an experienced educator with practical knowledge of working with school and community groups regarding the delivery of public art schemes and we are delighted Derek has agreed to work with us on this exciting project.

Derek will work closely with the students to agree a final piece of design, which he will then take away and carve in stone which represents the ways in which women's roles in society have changed over the last 100 years and how they have achieved personal success within that context. Upon final installation, adjacent to the old Greek theatre in College Gardens, we hope this will create a lasting cultural legacy for future generations for both College Gardens residents and students from JCG to enjoy.

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