Absent Presence: A College for Girls

A photographic project by Stacey Yates
29th June – 19th July 2018

In Partnership with the Jersey Development Company (JDC), we were delighted to present a new project by Amsterdam based photographer Stacey Yates. JDC commissioned Stacey to document the historic site of Jersey Ladies College, later Jersey College for Girls, prior to its redevelopment.

Built in 1888, the Ladies College was at the forefront of women’s education in the late 19th century and was one of only a handful of schools to prepare girls for university examinations. Stacey’s brief was to explore, record and archive the former Ladies College, from a perspective that considers the social importance of the building, not just as an important piece of 19th century architecture, but also as a space rich in layered narratives and personal memory – a place created out of strong desire to educate, inspire and support a culture of strong, confident and enquiring young women in an era of gender inequality.

The photographs serve as an evocative and personal reminder to many who passed through its spaces noting the success and subsequent outgrowth of this educational institution and celebrate a new residential chapter for this site – College Gardens.

Stacey Yates is a photographer and director with a specific interest in contemporary, documentary storytelling. She produces considered, autonomous work that explores space, place and identity and has exhibited across the UK and Europe. She works with a number of organisations including –The BBC, The International School in Amsterdam, Philips, Channel 4 and The Mayor of London–supporting them in communicating tightly-observed, meaningful stories. She is currently based in Amsterdam represented by Revolver agency.

Photographic prints and a book are available to purchase at the exhibition. Within the book – accompanying a selection of the photographs – are interviews conducted by Jersey born writer Hannah Patterson with photographer Stacey Yates and with interior architect Siobhann Macleod both of whom were students at the school.