IDENTITY & COMMUNITY Newspaper

The images seen on the pages of this newspaper supplement are extracted from a variety of projects and final outcomes produced over a two-year academic programme of study by a group of A-Level photography students at Hautlieu School. In their final year the themes of Identity and Community offered a specific focus and through a series of creative challenges students developed a body of work that were inspired, partly from visiting heritage institutions to learn about aspects of Jersey’s unique history of immigration and exploring migrant communities and neighbourhoods in St Helier in a series of photo-walks. In the classroom additional inspiration was provided from workshops on NFTs (non-fungible token) and digital art, embroidery and textile art, animation and film-making, zine and photobook design led by professional artists, designers and teachers.

As part of the research and contextual studies students were asked to engage with some of the key questions raised by the Government of Jersey’s Island Identity project and explore through their own photographic studies how they interpret and identify distinctive qualities of island life. What can we learn from looking at a set of photographs produced by young islanders? At first sight they show us a seemingly random set of images of places, people and objects – some familiar, others surprising. On closer inspection each image is a visual sign and also a conundrum. For example, a fish stuffed in a plastic bottle may ask us to consider more closely our marine environment, commercial fishing or food consumption. As a combined sequence of images they represent different views that in many ways comment on a wider discussion on some of the primary objectives explored in the Island Identity project, such as ‘how we see ourselves’ and ‘how others see us.’

The newspaper was kindly sponsored by Deputy Carolyn Labey, Minister for International Development and Assistant Chief Minister who in her foreword shares her personal thoughts on what makes Jersey special to her in context of the Island Identity project led by her department. She says, ‘identity involves searching our soul, engaging with difficult issues, and asking not only who we are, but how others see us and what a vision for the future might look like. The perspective of students and young people in this debate is critical. Identity is a broad and far-reaching concept, one unique to all of us. This collection of images recognises both our differences and our commonalties. These times may be uncertain, but in my view the topic – ‘what Jersey means to you’ – is a fundamentally optimistic and forward-looking one.’

The Identity and Community newspaper is the fourth supplement produced in collaboration between Hautlieu School Photography Department and Jersey Evening Post. In 2018 the first issue was The Future of St Helier and last year the themes of Love & Rebellion explored experiences of isolation and lockdown during the coronavirus pandemic. Photographer and teacher Martin Toft, comments: ‘The question of ‘what makes Jersey special’ matters a great deal to every islander and as visual signs, the images printed on these pages are an attempt – not so much to provide answers – but rather asking questions about the essence of this island we call home, and how it actively will overcome current challenges in shaping a prosperous future for all.’

Evaluation:

Task: Write an evaluation, reflecting on the experience of being part of making a newspaper and working on IDENTITY & COMMUNITY project and put it here at the top of the blog post, titled: IDENTITY & COMMUNITY. Specifically, select your images and spreads for comments.

The 4 of my images that have been used in the newspaper are placed in contrast next to other students work. I really like how the first spread hints towards ideas of our environment being tampered with and destroyed, the juxtaposition between a lighter and a flower implies themes of global warming and climate change. Additionally I think the contrast is strong due to texture and colour, with the other students image on the left being harsh and focused compared to my Pictorialism style – it connotes ideas of the fragility of nature, being something we need to keep safe. The second spread, with my image on the right, has an atmosphere of power – contrasting old and new, abandoned and governed. I like the way the spread shows the power of nature compared to ‘man’, yet the irony of a strong independent woman by its side – parodic representation of ‘the human power’? There are similar warm tones in both images, yet a darker and colder atmosphere surrounds the image on the left, juxtaposing the content mood of my photograph. Altogether I really like how this image has been displayed next to one so different, yet holding subtle similarities. The third spread uses an image of a greenhouse which I took during our Year 12 Anthropocene project, displayed next to another students image of bricks. There is a clear contrast in colour with these images, the left holding red and orange hues juxtaposing with the desaturated greens and blues of my image – implying a sense of nature vs man. The abandoned nature of both images creates the impression of being forgotten, desolate landscapes disrupted by mans creation – yet my image hints towards nature fighting back, this contrast strongly shows the power of nature even when hope seems lost. The final spread uses an image of a tree branch from my most recent project on the left, placed next to two images from another student of expansive landscapes. All images on this spread hold strong orange tones and display features of the natural environment – yet there is a sense of looming fear and destruction. Each image is a sort-of hint towards a more industrialised environment, my image starting the set with a dark mysterious atmosphere around nature, moving across to an image showing mankind within natures freedom, then finishing with a futuristic display of when this ‘nature’s freedom’ no longer exists.