Junk

Someone’s come up with the idea of building a Chinese Junk to promote Guernsey.
 
Hang, that must have been a good party!
 
You can imagine the conversation.
 
“We need something that says Guernsey.”
 
“Tradition.”
 
“Ship building! That used to be really big here a while back.”
 
“But we need to think commercial as well. Where’s the biggest market for visitors?”
 
“China of course.”
 
You can see how the conversation degenerated from there can’t you.
 
For the hard of thinking, here’s a news flash.
 
Chinese people aren’t that interested in junks just as Dutch people aren’t that interested in canals and windmills. They can see that sort of stuff at home and don’t need to travel to a small obscure Island for the privilege.
 
“But it’s going to be built by this well known Chinese artist.”
 
A Chinese born artist who has lived in New York since 1995 and who is hardly a household name outside of the rarified atmosphere of contemporary art.
 
“But it will sail all over the place taking the name of Guernsey with it.”
 
This idea should be a non-starter but of course in the cosy closed world of Guernsey Arts it’s easy to find traction for such whimsy especially given the potential for exploratory talks, investigative visits, and grandstanding to the Press.
 
Does Guernsey need this junk?
 
No.
 
“But think of all the free publicity we got with Gormley’s statues and Goldsworthy’s balls.”
 
And how much revenue did this “free exposure” generate for Guernsey? I seem to forget the hordes of art lovers flocking off of the planes and boats panting for the sight of these art treasures.
 
You could hire a blimp to drag a banner over Central London saying “I love Guernsey” and get it seen by hundreds of thousands. Doesn’t mean a single one of them will come visit us.
 
But what about the other idea? Making the old slaughterhouse into a contemporary arts gallery.
 
Does Guernsey need it?
 
No.
 
“But what about the Bilbao effect?”, the regeneration of an area because a famous museum set up there.
 
The hint’s in the word famous.
 
Who’s going to travel to Guernsey to see a third rate and frankly tiny museum? We are not Bilbao, or St Ives, or even Margate.
 
“But we  can exhibit local artists as well.”
 
Ah, the fig leaf of community participation. The leaf that the Arts Commission uses so well to justify their existence. “Arts Sunday”, “Art on the Beach”, missionary trips into the estate jungles to bring the natives paint and lanterns.
 
Here’s another news flash.
 
None of it is needed and none of it is necessary. It’s nice and generates a few good photo opportunities but the money could be better spent elsewhere.
 
Art, in all of it’s many forms, exists and thrives on this Island without the interference of the Arts Commission.
 
People will paint, dance, act, or make music because they want to, because they need to, and they will do it no matter what. They don’t need organising by an expensive Commission with it’s own agenda.
 
If we needed a contemporary arts gallery, then we would already have one. The wave of public opinion would have overwhelmed any resistance.
 
The slaughterhouse could make a great intimate theatre space to replace that lost to Youth Theatre when their old home got redeveloped by the States into housing. Their new States allocated space really isn’t the same and we have lost an outlet for good contemporary theatre using talented local artists. Maybe also use such a new theatre for other arts events. Maybe even for gigs by local bands on some nights?
 
Then there’s the Sea Cadets needing a new home as well. 

Something a short walk away from the slipway would be ideal.
 
Or maybe we could do with a proper local market space for home producers with good nearby parking.
 
All good ideas and none considered before this project was allowed the go ahead.
 
Ah, the good old Guernsey way.
 
It’s not what you know but who you know and what you know about those in the know.
 
Not much scope for overseas jollies from the Sea Cadets is there?
 
It’s a shame that such a potentially iconic site will be squandered on something with such little scope for real local participation by the wider community.
 
You might see a fig leaf flapping but this isn’t about local community. It’s about a privileged few pursuing their individual interests and other potential good uses for this space can go hang.
 
Maybe I’m wrong.
 
Maybe we need a man of vision with a passion.
 
Build it and they will come.
 
Maybe.