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This year’s ‘Meet the Collections’ series kicks off with an exciting opportunity for people to view in-person the new collection of Ouless artworks recently acquired by Jersey Heritage
The collection includes over 70 oil paintings, watercolours and photographs, and was acquired directly from the Ouless family, who had kept the works ever since the death of the renowned 19th century local artist over 130 years ago.
The new collection is currently in storage, but it will be on public display in its entirety for the first time at Sir Francis Cook Gallery on Saturday, 9 March from 9.30am-1pm, with an extra evening event at the Gallery on Tuesday, 12 March from 4pm-7pm. The Collections team will be on hand at both events to answer questions and share the stories behind each of the pieces, which have added a new and more personal aspect to the existing collection about the painter.
Helena Kergozou, Jersey Heritage’s Senior Registrar, said: “The acquisition of the Ouless collection has tied in perfectly with the start of our ‘Meet the Collections’ events for 2024. What better way to open the series than with a collection that is new to the Island and has never been viewed by the public before.
“We are excited to share the artworks, as well as the other items that we have lined up for the rest of the year’s ‘Meet the Collections’ events. Having asked Islanders what themes they would like for 2024, we have taken onboard their feedback, and we hope they enjoy seeing what we have selected for them from the hundreds of thousands of objects we have in storage.”
‘Meet the Collections’ is a series of free monthly events that offer the public the chance to see fascinating items in Jersey Heritage’s collections that are not currently on display. There is a different theme each month, with the Collections team available to share details of where each piece came from and how it fits into the Island’s story. As well as art, the themes for 2024 include fashion and textiles; domestic life; hobbies and pastimes; archaeology; military; and the Occupation.
The ‘Meet the Collections’ events are all held at Sir Francis Cook Gallery in Trinity, except for the one in June about fashion and textiles, which is at Jersey Archive where the textiles store is located. Tours of the Museum Collections Store will run alongside the events held at Sir Francis Cook Gallery. ‘Meet the Collections’ are drop-in events, but places must be booked on the store tours.