Thursday, March 20th, 2025
A creative performance telling the story of the Island’s witch trials
Jersey Museum (Make Space in "Bouan Appétit!" exhibition gallery) The Weighbridge JE2 3NG St Helier
Details
Discover the history of Jersey’s witch trials as you stand in front of ‘Our Hands’, a sculpture commemorating the 65 Jersey people who suffered during the witch trials of the 16th and 17th centuries. Jersey Heritage curator, Lucy Layton will introduce this art commission, and Dr Perchard will tell the stories of persecution and the creative journey of the sculpture through a performance including scholarship, poetry, and song.
Just two tickets per person available. Suitable for people aged 16 and over.
About the project
La Tèrr’rie d’Jèrri - d’s histouaithes dé not’Île’ is a new permanent exhibition exploring the theme of islands and what it means to be an islander. Islands are separated as well as connected by the sea; Jersey has been a place of safety, a haven for refugees, as well as a place of conflict and persecution. ‘Our Hands’ began with a series of community workshops in which local artist and scholar Dr Adam Perchard cast the hands of 65 Islanders – one for each of the victims of the Jersey witch trials. The sculpture now forms an integral part of the ‘La Tèrr’rie d’Jèrri’ exhibition.
About Dr Perchard
Adam is a writer, visual artist, scholar and performer. He has a doctorate in 18th century and postcolonial studies, and research has remained central to his practice as an artist.
He has worked on many projects engaging with Jersey’s history – animating its geological, Neolithic, and 20th century pasts in everything from interactive sculptural installations to dancing amongst dolmens and singing deep in the bowels of Germanbunkers.