150 tiles to celebrate 150 years of scholarly endeavour

Monday 18 December 2023

A century-and-a-half of scholarly endeavour at the island's oldest heritage organisation has been captured in a new mural at its Pier Road home.

Unveiled on Friday by the Bailiff, Sir Timothy Le Cocq, the new work of art by Lauren Radley – which comprises 150 individual tiles – marks the culmination of a year of celebration by the Société Jersiaise.

The Bailiff took the opportunity to pay tribute to the range of work undertaken by the Société which is reflected in the mural.

"So important to our understanding of Jersey"

“It is often said that when you do things right, people rarely realise you have done anything at all, and this couldn’t be more true for the Société Jersiaise.

"The research and study undertaken over the years, the curating of important knowledge and materials, and the educational work carried out is so important to our understanding of Jersey, its nature, and our identity as islanders.

“The breadth of subjects covered here is marvellous and you should be very proud of the work that is done to preserve, understand and promote our island's rich heritage, history and culture which is recognised nationally and, in some fields of science, internationally,” Sir Timothy said.

“We hope that people will be stimulated to stop and look"

This year’s anniversary celebrations have included a conference exploring the organisation’s range of scholarly interests, a new bursary, and a range of activities offered by the individual sections which constitute the fabric of the Société.

Pictured: Artist Lauren Radley.

But the creation of a new work of art has been eagerly awaited since the hunt for an artist began back in May. Working with ArtHouse Jersey, the Société put out a call for expressions of interest in the project, as Chief Executive Rebecca Bailhache explained: “All our sections and departments were then asked to contribute by finding suitable images to represent their work, and to mark significant plant and animal species, people and events over the past 150 years.”

She added that the artist had then rendered this in “simple yet striking designs”.

“We hope that people will be stimulated to stop and look, perhaps seeking inspiration to find their space within this important Island institution which covers so many aspects of our heritage and culture. As we wind up our anniversary year celebrating 'Past Present Future', what better way can there be to place in the public’s eye a daily reminder of what makes our island unique?” she continued.

“Lauren’s piece will no doubt bring a lot of joy to Jersey’s public"

The mural, which has been supported by the government’s Creative Island Partnership Fund, also includes tiles featuring text in Jèrriais as recognition of the importance of the Island’s linguistic heritage.

ArtHouse Jersey’s director Tom Dingle said it had been an honour to team up with the Société to help find an artist for the celebratory work.

“Lauren’s piece will no doubt bring a lot of joy to Jersey’s public as they pass along Pier Road and is a fitting tribute to the Société’s dedication to understanding of our community’s past," he said.

"It has been been a driving force when it comes to learning more about the island's history, culture, language and environment, and this piece is a suitable celebration of their important role in the island."