The morning boat is an international artist residency and laboratory for artistic research and action, curated by Susanne Kudielka and Kaspar Wimberley. Activities will focus on local industries in Jersey that are often referred to as the foundations of the island economy – Agriculture, finance and tourism – and their impact on people’s lives. The morning boat responds to an urgent need for a reflective and meaningful public discourse on complex critical issues and real life practices that are central to the island’s economy, social fabric and way of life.
Artists will be invited to Jersey whose work is thought provoking, accessible to its audience and sensitive to the context in which it is presented. Projects will be developed specifically for the island of Jersey, responding to its unique character and narrative. Work will take place in public spaces and every-day working environments, in collaboration with the local community.
Thematic focus for 2017 and 2018
Agriculture and fisheries
Working together with farmers, fishermen, seasonal workers, politicians, chefs, retailers and consumers, artists will investigate and respond to the locally grown, caught, gathered and reared food chain. They will explore the past, present and future implications of agricultural practices in Jersey and its impact on people’s lives, both on and off the island. They will interact with and respond to existing infrastructures, farming practices, social structures, economic conditions and the products themselves.
Working with the local community
The morning boat is an arts residency that takes place in the heart of the local community, from the research that is undertaken, through to the public presentation of the work.
At the start of each residency artists will be paired with local experts and employees, to conduct first-hand research into island life and develop an understanding towards industry practices, working environments, concerns and challenges. This experience provides the starting point and inspiration for continued research and the creation of new work that interacts with existing infrastructures and re-imagines daily routines.
The morning boat aims to generate a broad debate that brings together a range of different positions, to create a common language and mutual understanding that has a sustained impact on future decision making within the community. The morning boat allows people to dream of alternative approaches to the island economy and collaboratively test or propose new directions for local industries. Where appropriate artists will offer educational institutions an opportunity to engage with the artistic process.
