The idea behind this project is to create a narrative that highlights the two communities of religion and the LGBTQ+ community. With this we touched upon the issues of homophobia and hate, within certain religions, in this particular Christianity, towards the LGBTQ+ community and how often people are made to chose between the two. This was inspired by the tension that is often seen in Jersey between these two entities, and often the dismissal and disapproval of the two existing in the same space. Our presentation of this concept in image form, showcases a tapestry, which incorporates elements of the LGBTQ+ community and clashing religious aspects. Here photographs are stitched over and together, some of couples in a colour of the LGBTQ+ flag and some of harmful religious quotations. Our film elevates this idea, through the story of a lesbian couple who are torn between the religious aspects of their lives, and their longing to be together and true to their identities, whilst still being accepted to practice their faith. Displaying scenes of serenity and violence, we showcase the turmoil that is occurring in their heads. The aim of this film is not to condemn either of these communities but to offer a route to acceptance, that allows for a harmonious existence between the two. We believe that our project relates to the metaverse, that will exist in the near future, due to the fact that it has been described a potential utopia. This means that, in order for this peaceful, idyllic online world to exist, bridges must be built between divided communities, such as these, permitting a safe online space.
Daily Archives: November 17, 2021
Filters
Island Identity
Jersey is special because there are different cultural communities which I find come together and unite through their differences, a mixture of old and young coming together. To be Jersey now is full of beaches and summer activities then in the winter it is very restricted with activities which is why in the future I feel that there will be more activities for the winter. We can all come together and create some fun activities for the whole community to enjoy together as a way to solidify a cohesive and positive island identity. There maybe barriers to a positive and inclusive Island identity such as bullying which is a big issue in Jersey as it is a very small Island so there is a lack of activity.
island identity project – heritage, culture, and the arts
The ISLAND IDENTITY project has produced a website and a report that has identified distinctive qualities of island life in Jersey. We were tasked with producing a poster based on one of the following themes :
Constitution & Citizenship
Communities
International
Economy
Education & Sport
Heritage, Culture & the Arts
Environment
RESEARCH
‘Heritage is not confined to looking backwards in time but is an essential part of the present we live in and the future we build. It is the extraordinary range of landscape, monuments, experiences and stories that characterise Jersey, and it also encompasses our contemporary interactions with this inheritance and the meanings we ascribe to it. Heritage gives the Island its distinctive look and feel, attracts tourists, and can inspire both intercultural dialogue and a shared sense of place and belonging. Jersey is unusually rich in tangible heritage assets, some of which (such as the prehistoric site at La Cotte and Le Câtillon Bronze Age hoard) are of international significance. Fourteen thousand Islanders – one seventh of the population – are members of Jersey Heritage. However, the sector has suffered from chronic underfunding, a lack of dedicated Ministerial input, and the lack of a coherent Heritage Strategy for the Island, all of which the Board suggest be rectified as soon as possible.’
‘Jersey has a rich tradition of artistic endeavour, and an enviable intangible cultural heritage. This is not just historical; contemporary Islanders are producing high-quality work often inspired by the character of the distinctive place in which they live. From music to filmmaking, from painting to poetry, scores of Jersey citizens are now making careers and reputations at international level. The Board celebrated the fact that creative people and entrepreneurs clearly feel a sense of attachment and pride in the Island, and noted that some excellent organisations (such as ArtHouse Jersey) and events (such as the Festival of Words and the ‘Weekender’) are helping to put the Island on the global cultural map. However, given the extraordinary potential of art and culture to achieve almost all of the objectives associated with Identity – domestic and international – it felt that even more could be done in this sphere. The Board singled out the Battle of Flowers as an exemplum of the enormous power of cultural activity to express identity and provide an important social ritual. Its real value should be recognised by Government not as a tourist attraction as something which unites our communities in a creative, artistic endeavour. If le Carnaval de Granville can achieve UNESCO Intangible Heritage status, why not the Battle?’
https://islandidentity.je/report/heritage-culture-and-the-arts
WHAT MAKES JERSEY SPECIAL AND WHY DOES IT MATTER TO YOU?
I think that what makes Jersey special is the widespread diversity which can be seen throughout the island, and the strong sense of kinship and community which fuels everybody to interact with each other in a kind and friendly way. Additionally, as the island is so small, people tend to interrelate more closely with each other, both in their working environment and their social lives.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE ‘JERSEY’, NOW AND IN THE FUTURE?
Being ‘Jersey’ means living in a close, tight-knit community full of various cultures and ethnic backgrounds, which will hopefully grow and flourish. In the future, I would like to see more representation of our diversity through different mediums, such as the arts.
WHAT CAN WE ALL DO TO SOLIDIFY A COHESIVE AND POSITIVE ISLAND IDENTITY?
In order to solidify a cohesive and positive island identity I think that Jersey should aim to be more welcoming to those who are different from ourselves (i.e different backgrounds and cultures). If we want to create a positive place for everyone to live then we as an island need to ensure that everyone, no matter where they may come from, feels comfortable, safe, and happy.
ARE THERE BARRIERS TO A POSITIVE AND INCLUSIVE ISLAND IDENTITY? (WHAT REQUIRES A GREATER FOCUS AND WHAT IS BEING MISSED?)
I think that there will always be barriers to a completely positive and inclusive island, as some people may not share the collective mindset that everyone is welcome. In order to combat this, we need to ensure that there are places people can go if they ever feel unsafe. In addition, school-age children should be offered a more in detail education about different cultures around the world, not just their own.
Tapestry editing
Using edited images from our photoshoot, Bethany created a single embroidery job that combines all of these photos. Here we are using images of different colours to create an image that represents the pride flag.
To try and do this, Bethany 1st sorted these photos into a variety of formats and orders, finding the arrangement worked the best. After choosing a composition, she proceeds to embroider in pictures which form her own patterns and styles on each picture, for example by crossing out negative words in the Bible passages shown and creating dotted lines on the word board and in the middle. . Additionally, Bethany also did this by harnessing colour-matched filaments to the colours in each image, enhancing the colours depicting the LGBTQ flag when some of the colours light up slightly as a result of writing the images onto more paper. thick. , allowing embroidery without tearing. In addition, she also uses black for paints in their original colour. She then sewed the images onto a piece of size A2 fabric, which served as the backdrop for the collage. besides for that, she also pasted some photos on the document, so that there is no need for tinkering on the image that the photos can overlay. With all the photos in place, Bethany ensured that all the items lay flat and then framed them in a very sturdy window holder, so that the item’s slightly worn edges were not visible, and then the image has a stable background.
This is our final image for our identity and community project, highlighting both religious and LGBTQ communities, combining them by presenting their differences and how they are still there to be able to get along with each other despite this.
Film editing
During our short film edit, Tiago took screenshots at various stages to show our thought process behind how we pieced together scenes from our film. For our movie, we had a soundtrack that we thought would match the vibe of the movie. To do this, we searched for classical and cinematic music on websites with royalty-free sounds. In the end, we found a track that we thought would work the best called Sailing Away by Shane Ivers. When editing a movie, Tiago first puts the video clips in order, shows the plot, then cuts those clips and cuts them, to show the best part of the scene and cut to the beat. . In addition to the sound of the music, we have also included an excerpt from the bible verse “Love thy Neighbour”, which is related to the title of our film. This is placed at the end of the movie to end the message we want to convey; you should preach the gospel with love because telling others they are going to hell will decrease the chances of them ever seeking God.
Here we have chosen to alternate scenes of serenity and chaos to represent the binary opposition of faith and interpretation found in religion, especially Christianity. We obtained these riot footage through a search of royalty-free stock footage footage because we believe using an actual recorded event will have more impact on The message of prejudice and homophobia being expressed through our film. Plus, we think these clips in particular would work better, as they match the colour grading of the film, with the flames recreating the sunsets in dreamy sequences and the warm tones of the rows of church chairs.
To go with said passage of scripture, we have chosen the scene where the couple read and showed the Bible as the final shot as it not only represents the passage we are referring to, but also refers to the idea that a strong faith . able to withstand trials and hardships caused by those who show hostility to others. Here, Tiago added a diagonal blur to smoothly transition from the violence and chaos of the riots to the peaceful final scene.
Finally, I added a credits scene at the end of our movie, which showed our names, movie title, royalty free music, actor names, and our school name. This was converted to with a crossfade, as well as the end of the credits. It also attenuates the music to give the movie a gradual ending, using an ever-increasing sound effect.
Identity + Community: Island Identity
As a class we were split into small groups of two and given one of these topics; Constitution & Citizenship, Communities, International, Economy, Education & Sport, Heritage + Culture & the Arts and Environment. As a pair me and Jess got the theme International.
We used the websites provided and did our own research about Jersey’s International Identity.
Our poster:
In relation to the new project Identity and Community, to focus on Jersey’s International identity you could photograph famous sites and views which outsiders see, people who do not live here, but photograph the sites with different POVs. For example what they look like when they are not in their prime, summery, beautiful states. Or you could try and find different POVs in the angles and locations shot at and try and create a new look for that certain landmark because people over seas only see what is presented to them in the best way and it is always the same standard Corbierre picture. However you could also focus on only what outsiders see and capture Jersey through their eyes.