Jersey local Liam Mitchell lived in Berlin between 2014 and 2023. Seeking adventure and a taste of life abroad, he honed in on Berlin for its reputation as a Mecca for techno clubs and DJing. This the city delivered in spades, but he also discovered there an international melting pot with thriving arts and history, plus a sense of freedom facilitated by relatively low cost of living. Alongside producing music and playing gigs, he supported himself with freelance writing work. Currently based back on the island, he sat down with Viv Le Vav to discuss the differences and parallels of their respective journeys.

Eddy Bailhache moved to Berlin, Germany in 2017. Originally from Jersey, he now lives in a yurt he built himself, in a woodsy commune of like-minded people near Weißensee in the former East. He acknowledges that his lifestyle is not typical – for the city, or in general. “If you talk to anyone that moves to Berlin now, what won’t come to their mind is people living in caravans or yurts or squats. But I think from living in this way, I’ve connected more with people. We have someone living in a tiny house on the same land. We’re connected to lots of people living in that alternative way.”

He decided on Berlin on a whim after a few short visits, and started Viv Le Vav as a solo music project around the same time. “It’s myself on stage, sometimes with backing elements, but mostly quite a live setup.” The sound combines experimental beats and synth-work with singer-songwriter vocals and arrangements in the tradition of The Beatles. “In a sense it’s minimalism, like Philip Glass meets ‘70s vibes, drum machines and keyboards and things, but more repetitive and dance influence for sure.”

Over time, Viv Le Vav – short for Vivian Le Vavasseur – grew into more of a creative alter- ego. “It’s an artist name that has morphed into being how people know me and how I think of myself. It’s actually taken from both sides of my family. I don’t feel like I’m trying to escape any element of myself. It’s more just different dimensions of yourself. It drives a lot of my creativity, cosplaying in different things.”

Alongside promoting himself as a pop musician, Viv teaches piano and singing, works on theatre projects, works as a songwriter and composer in different ways. “Then I come back to the island and play organ for funerals, weddings and services. These are all different strings to a musical bow. There’s a bit of a societal judgment, I think, that you see the Ed Sheerans and Taylor Swifts of this world and judge everyone by that mark. But that’s never really been the way. You know, Mozart also taught music all his life.”

Earlier this year, Viv invited producer Drew Deal to an informal concert hosted at his yurt, where he sang and performed on an old, out of tune, upright piano. “It’s a very different style to some of the previous recordings that I’ve done. And Drew said, ‘I want to make something in this way, with a real feeling of, here’s a guy living in a yurt in Berlin, writing songs that are very emotional and direct.’”

The resulting work leans away from the ‘digital experience’ of modern production. Viv and Drew put together a jazz ensemble of piano, drums and double bass, then rehearsed and recorded live, running everything through a chain of analog gear to give the sound character. “It’s the idea of creating a vibe, a feeling, so people listen and they think, ‘I could imagine that happening in a room somewhere’ – for us, in a 33-degree, horribly sweaty room in south Berlin.” The forthcoming release also features Viv singing in Jèrriais for the first time.

“I love where I live because it is a really bizarre juxtaposition to Jersey. I grew up in the countryside, Jersey’s very green. A lot of Berlin feels harsh, I think, to British sensibility at least. Big wide roads, big buildings and this sort of empty feeling sometimes.” Open space also permits new communities to pop up, bringing fresh ideas to rejuvenate the city’s social and creative energy.

“The idea that I can rent some land that used to be a tramway in part of the Stasigebiet in East Berlin, and it’s got an old DDR watchtower next to it that’s been left there for 30 years, and no one’s developed it, or no one really values it. That feels very Berlin, you know? And it exists in pockets, but who’s to say if it will exist in ten years’ time?” The past feels live and tangible in Jersey too, as wartime bunkers are repurposed and private gardens encroach on ancient dolmens.

Like Berlin, the island has its own identity and unique history. There are more limited offerings here for work and creative expression, but you find Jersey expat communities that flourish all over the globe. “I think Jersey connections are special. But what I’ve noticed, especially moving from London to Berlin, I’ve realised I’m a proud Jersey-man! You know, much more than was obvious to me when I was in England.”

He identifies the ‘island mentality’ that we experience here. “There is this feeling that you can get to know a place really well, because it has clear boundaries. It’s all very connected. But growing up, I always went to the Arts Centre to see all these classical musicians who would come over. I never thought the scene was limited to the people that are here. And if something doesn’t exist then there is the potential to make it happen.”

Would Viv return home to settle, then, or is it an open question at this point? “Yeah, why is it always returning home to settle? Why isn’t it returning home to Jersey to explore and go deeper and experience culture here? That’s another way of looking at it. But I think if you grow up in Jersey, we think of this boomerang thing of, you go away, you come back, and that there’s something to be learned from going away and there’s nothing to be learned from coming back. But I think there’s a lot to be… It’s all about yourself. It’s all about how you see the world.”

Words: Liam Mitchell

Photography: Arthur Laidlaw

The Northern Lights have graced our skies not once but twice since I’ve come back to the rock, and unfortunately, I have been asleep both times. This, unlike the auroras, appears to be a common phenomenon, with many I know having encountered the same problem. For some reason, even though seeing the Northern Lights is on basically everyone’s bucket list, unless you’ve decided to go out of your way to Iceland to find them, little to no effort goes into actually viewing the astronomical wonder when you could be in bed with a cup of tea by 10pm.

The select few who were prepared and actually checked the Aurora tracking websites (or those who just so happened to be outside when they occurred) got to see the sights that many dream of, yet unfortunately, dreamt through. An even smaller group figured out how to capture the scene on camera, showing up the rest of us who’ve only used long exposure to draw a heart with a sparkler on bonfire night. We decided to profile photographers who were dedicated enough to pull an overnight shift back in October, asking them to share their favourite shots, alongside some techniques they used to capture them.

Dylan Northcott
@_shotsbydyl

Dylan’s passion for photography sprang from his love of landscape shots in the National Geographic: “I remember seeing the amazing shots published in the magazines, which really inspired me to go out and see the world”. He’s fascinated by the way that photo quality is evolving, with new cameras making what was once impossible possible. He began shooting motorsports, rugby and surfing, before developing his skills to cater for landscapes, astrophotography and people. Above all, he wants to “tell stories” through his photos, and is especially drawn towards shooting minimalistic and dark moods. 

“This is by far my favourite shot I have taken and it was truly mesmerising to witness the northern lights with my eyes and not just through the camera! I was really excited to post it online, and I was happy that it was well received.”

Sid Ahlawat

@sid_ahlawat_photography | sidd_ahlawat@yahoo.com

Sid’s journey with photography started over 14 years ago in Jersey. Captivated by the island’s natural beauty and incredible coastline, he said “my passion grew as I found myself drawn to capturing how light, weather, and tides transform familiar landscapes into something entirely new”. For him, photography became a way to “not only capture these moments but to convey the unique emotions and atmosphere of each scene”. Recently, he’s been exploring astrophotography, admiring how the dazzling landscapes bring a whole new layer of wonder to Jersey’s coastline. His style is immersive and atmospheric, aiming above all to create images that resonate emotionally, and praise the island’s natural beauty in a way that feels both authentic and evocative.

“I am truly lucky to have captured the mesmerising Aurora over Jersey on October 10, 2024 – a rare and surreal experience on the island”.

Lawrence Chay 
@chazza_surfs  |  info@ouendesign.com

Lawrence’s photographic journey began in Australia, when he began capturing surfers on 35mm film. He said “I was inspired by my mother’s work and surf magazines of the late 90s. As a surfer, surfing will always be my favourite thing to photograph, but recently I’ve been doing a lot with local motorsports events”. Lawrence primarily shoots documentary style photography, inspired by the fleeting and candid moments that allow him to produce authentic images of moments with genuine emotion.

“After getting notified of the inbound aurora my mind ran wild thinking of the best locations with the least amount of traffic and light pollution. The aurora was clearly visible along the north coast and constantly evolving, making every image different until it began to fade in the early hours of the morning”.

Callum Thorne 

@callum.thorne  |  studio@callumthorne.com

Callum picked a camera up for the first time in his school years, before experimenting with different styles at college and university. He started work as a filmmaker after returning home, whilst developing his skills in landscape photography over time. For a few years, he dedicated most evenings to capturing Jersey’s beautiful coastlines, enjoying the challenge of finding unique ways to capture nature’s ever-changing moods and scenery. He said “my photography style focuses on creating emotive, story-driven imagery, using vibrant colours and a minimalistic approach. Each element is intentional, emphasising simplicity while bringing the narrative and emotions to the forefront of my work”.

“On the evening of October’s Aurora, I saw posts and images in a Jersey Weather group I recently joined about a high KP index – alongside the AuroraWatch app – confirming that the Aurora would be visible. Around 9pm, I made a last-minute decision to head to Don Hilton (White House) in St Ouen. By the time I arrived, the Aurora was already in full display, and there were hardly any others around during the early part of the night. I was able to capture some shots, and witnessing such a rare sight this far south felt like an incredible privilege. The vibrant array of colours the Aurora produced was breathtaking and something I never thought I would experience in Jersey”.

“I was at Gorey, I took my oil pastels, and that day I decided to make the castle pink. It was the most random thing in the world. The piece sold straight away.”

Cristabelle Jégard is a Jersey-based artist seeing the island in a different way. Inspired by the expressionism of Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, she boldly experiments with abstract shapes filled with contrasting colours.

This approach to landscapes initially emerged in Ischgl, Austria, in a small hotel room overlooking the mountains. “You could see everything, and I just started drawing the opposite hotel against the peaks in oil pastels. I used yellow, red, I painted the trees pink, I did all kinds of stuff.” It stemmed from Kirchner’s Swiss landscapes – a love for the way he painted with electrifying colours. “I studied him for ages in art school,” Cristabelle said, “I fell in love with his art instantly. I went to an exhibition in Germany, which had loads of his artwork, and I sat there the whole day, drawing them and copying the bold colours and outlines.”

For Cristabelle, colours have a sensory meaning. They are alive, with tastes and emotions. When she’s drawing someone, she sees it as a way of portraying their inner emotions, using her interpretation to create a visual depiction of her subject’s inner world. “I’m good at reading people,” Cristabelle said, “I would never do a portrait from a photo, because you miss the intimacy of the moment. When you capture a person from life, you can build a rapport with them, and open a window where you can understand what they’re like.” 

The shapes she chooses to contain these subconscious interpretations within are by and large inspired by the historic Moai sculptures on Easter Island. Carved by the Rapa Nui people in eastern Polynesia between 1250-1500, the monolithic human figures feature overly large heads, and are admired across the world for their size and mystery. “I used to spend hours at the British Museum in London, drawing the Easter Island head they have there,” Cristabelle said, “whilst I believe the statue should be returned to its rightful place, I was lucky to have the opportunity to draw them. A lot of the facial expressions in my portraits were inspired by the sculptures at the time, and depicted quite sullen and emotionless figures.” Cristabelle would contrast these facial expressions with the vibrance of bright colours, painting in emotions between the lines. Her unique artistic style, fuelled by her social intuition, visually presents the dichotomy between personal interior worlds and exterior appearances.

In the absence of a subject, Cristabelle’s landscapes draw meaning from her personal relationship with the environment. A lot of the locations in her paintings are out East – places that are familiar or that have prominent childhood memories. “When I moved to Gorey, I spent a lot of time swimming behind Gorey castle,” she said, “I think that’s why I love it so much. It’s where I feel most happy and at home.” Places she loves out West feature in her artwork too: “I’ve created pieces at Beauport and Portelet – I have some amazing memories there.”

Many of Cristabelle’s landscapes focus by and large on coastal locations, capturing some of the island’s most beautiful seascapes. They featured in JARO Gallery as part of their exhibition ’Hidden Depths’. Sharing the stage with the work of Nicholas Romeril, Cristabelle’s paintings reflect her deep and long standing connection with the ocean. “Every single beach I’m painting at the moment has been a part of my life growing up,” Cristabelle said, “I was always in the sea and I wouldn’t have had it any other way.” For her, the ocean is a form of therapy, and between surfing and swimming she’s underwater pretty much all year round. “When I go under the surface it’s my moment away from everything,” she added, “apart from the waves crashing you can’t hear anything, it’s the most beautiful feeling in the world. Everyone has their own idea of why they love the ocean so much. That’s mine.”

Instagram: @cristabellejegard