Pop up exhibition with Anne Chowne

ArtHouse Jersey is welcoming their first pop up art exhibition of 2024 with artist Anne Chowne.

People are invited to Greve de Lecq Barracks on Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 January 2024 between 10am and 5pm where the artist will be present to greet visitors and talk about her work and processes.

Anne Chowne is a printmaker who trained at Bath Spa University and taught at UCL Institute of Education. She is interested in archaeology and geology, and how material evidence of previous events are interpreted and investigated in the Jersey landscape. In this exhibition, Chowne presents collagraphs (a versatile printing process in which a textured plate is inked up and put through a press) that seek to highlight the beauty of volcanic activity, wave cut platforms, mineral veins and sedimentary deposits evident in Jersey. Her works are representations of the textures, patterns and characteristics of geological sections or individual rocks.

The artist’s fascination with Jersey geology started when she saw photographs of rock formations and read one of Ralph Nichols’ Jersey geology trail books. When she visited Jersey in 2014 she photographed the volcanic rock at Bonne Nuit and Anne Port as well as exploring the geology collection at La Hougue Bie museum. Silkscreen and collagraph prints were included in a poster she presented for a UNESCO European Geoparks conference in Seville, entitled ‘Jersey Rocks from an Artist’s Perspective’.

Anne returned to Jersey in August 2021 photographing rocks at Sorel Point, La Solitude Farm, St Ouen’s Bay and Le Pulec. Over a period of ten months she recorded the geology of the island.

Anne said: “My examination of the rocks and sediments of Jersey, looking for unusual or interesting patterns and colours, trying to understand what has been in situ for thousands of years and what might have been transported by the sea, has made me think about the importance of environmental phenomena and how art can raise awareness of ancient processes. I consult geologists and publications to ensure I use the correct terminology when naming my prints and include their characteristics in my designs. I appreciate the aesthetic value of using your eyes to spot beautiful patterns and unusual contours. By throwing a spotlight on the geology of Jersey I hope visitors will be inspired to investigate the sites themselves and see them through a new lens. I use my mobile phone to record what I see and hope the public are encouraged to do the same.”

Main image: Sedimentary Shale, Anne Chowne