Failed States; a journal of indeterminate geographies. Issue 1: Island

“If space is … a simultaneity of stories-so-far, then places are collections of those stories” — Doreen Massey

Failed States is a journal of original writing on place, characterised by the brevity of its texts.

Contributions are less than 200 words (pithiness is encouraged) and may potentially take any form: sentence, paragraph, list, recollection, anecdote, idea, proposition, biography, review, confession, cry for help, sms, email, letter, gossip, rumour, paranoia, admonishment, review, scheme, fantasy, fable, itinerary, footnote, key, instruction, script, notation, formula, score, scavenged text, etc.

For each issue contributors are asked to respond to a broad theme: one word describing a state of terrain considered to possess qualities of amorphousness, wildness, instability, collapse, liminality, peripherality and/or delineation.

The first issue of Failed States — themed Island — will be published in September 2017 and includes texts from: Anh Do, Beth Bramich, Bryony Quinn, Cally Spooner, Calvin Seibert, Carrie Friese, Doris Ho-Kane, Eli Diner, Euan Macdonald, Fi Churchman, Gabriella Beckhurst, Isabel Taube, Jasleen Kaur, Jay Simpson, Jeremy Atherton Lin, Jesse Hewitt, Joseph Curran, Joyce Dixon, Julie Lindow, Lucy Watson, Luke O’Sullivan, Martin John Callanan, Mary Hannity, Mary Manning, Matt Connors, Matt Wolf, Monique Mouton, Niki Ford, Nina Schack Kock, Olivia Laing, Oscar Gaynor, Paul Clinton, Richard Dodwell, Sam Ashby, Sam Williams, and Thea Smith.

Failed States is a publishing project by Jamie Atherton.

The Morning Boat, Art Residency, Jersey Island

An arts residency that takes place in the heart of the local community
Introduction

The morning boat is an international artist residency and laboratory for research and action. 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, unforgettable, 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 are asked to 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. They will interact with and respond to existing infrastructures, farming practices, social structures, economic conditions and the products themselves.

Farming may no longer be the largest economic sector of the island economy, but it is the oldest. Farming and fishing have been an integral part of island life for hundreds of years, repeatedly reinventing themselves in response to market changes or political upheaval; from cider and sheep farming, to potatoes and dairy, oysters and lobsters.

As the islands demographic and economy has changed, an increasing proportion of the population are less connected with the rural economy. The morning boat hopes to bring the community together to engage with the lives of individuals involved in local production and the complex interconnected issues that affect, or are affected by, their work.
Working with and for the local community

The morning boat aims to be 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 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 reimagines daily routines.

The morning boat aims to generate a broad debate representing 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. Our audience will not be confined to those with an interest in contemporary art, as we take projects into farm sheds, supermarket aisles, fields, on board boats, or on beaches – to engage, challenge and inspire all parts of society.

The core of the programme presents work developed by artists invited to Jersey. This will be accompanied by a series of smaller events conceived by local artists and the curatorial team. Where appropriate we will offer educational institutions an opportunity to engage with the process, while a series of public talks accompany the programme.

http://morningboat.com