Earlier this evening we were talking with Carrie on the radio about our new online campaign to get Jersey residents involved in sharing images, experiences and memories of working in the financial service sector to our Masterplan Project Archive. Interview begins around 2:09:59. Thanks for listening. #masterplan, #archisle, #jerseyfinance https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05x7wl9#play
Masterplan Project Archive goes public /
As part of the Masterplan Project we are interested in establishing an archive where Jersey residents and workers from a variety of professions within the financial services industry can share images, experiences and memories that reflect on working practices across all sectors: banking, wealth management, trusts, funds, corporate, fiduciary, investment, estates management, legal, compliance, regulatory, accountancy, insurance, philanthropy, digital and marketing.
We are interested in looking at any imagery that may exist internally in company records, public archives and private collections showing office work, business environments, employee/staff portraits, working practices, boardroom meetings, business trips, corporate events and CSR activities, or images used in corporate literature and marketing material.
Additionally, we are looking for volunteers with experience of working within the industry either at present, or in the past who are willing to be interviewed about their job and work. This will be an informal conversation arranged at a mutually convenient time at the Société Jersiaise Photographic Archive. All recorded material will be confidential/anonymized where requested and establish an internal audio archive that will act as research to inform further project development. Volunteers are also needed in the future to act as models for the production of new photographic work that involves portraiture on location.
How you can get involved: Images and video can be uploaded to our Masterplan Project Facebook group (https://www.facebook.com/masterplan.je/) or you can submit photographs either by email to info@masterplan.je or visit the Société Jersiaise Photographic Archive at 7 Pier Road, St Helier with prints or other relevant visual material.
Shortlisted for the 2018 Sony World Photography Awards /
Still in its embryonic state, my transatlantic project The Seaflower Venture has been shortlisted for the Professional Discovery category. A selection of images will be on display as part of the 2018 Sony World Photography Awards at Somerset House, London from the 20th April - 6th May.
New covers for Te Ahi Kā /
Two beautiful new covers by designer Ania Nałęcka-Milach hand-drawn digitally from two photographs of fern and embers from the Whanganui River for my forthcoming book Te Ahi Kā - The Fires of Occupation. Two versions of the cover will provide the reader with two choices, either a cover with fern representing a female version of the book, or a male version featuring a cover image of embers. Travelling the Whanganui River Māori women uses the fern as a way of purification, protection and prayer. In the past the men would carry the fire using embers wrapped in a Ponga tree (silver fern) from one village to another as a symbol of occupation. Today, Māori are returning to their ancestral land as Treaty settlements are slowly resolved with the New Zealand government. Te Ahi Kā is more then a physical marker, spiritually it re-awakens the mauri - the life-force - and becomes a fire of ambition inside each individual.
Te Ahi Kā at Paris Photo /
My new book dummy has been around the Grand Palais. Thanks for all the feeadback from publishers, curators, editors and artists who took time out to view Te Ahi Kā, Pierre Bessard, Alexa Becker, Dewi Lewis, Sonia Berger, Hannah Trolley, Tiffany Jones, Delphine Bedel, Chris Boot, Jens Erdman Rasmussen and Finn Larsen...au revoir Paris #teahika
Te Ahi Kā - The Fires of Occupation has arrived just in time for Paris Photo /
20 years in the making Te Ahi Kā explore the physical and metaphysical relationship between a river and its ancestors, between Māori and me. Brilliant design by the one and only Ania Nalecka Milach and photo editing and sequencing by Rafal Milach. Check out what's inside here on my new website https://www.martintoft.com/shop/te-ahi-k-the-fires-of-occupation #teahika
Te Ahi Kã photobook almost done... /
The concept and design of the book is now completed and 5 book-dummies have been made for the purpose of seeking further support for finding a suitable publisher and securing funding toward printing and binding 1000 copies, scheduled for production in the Spring 2018. Here a few page spreads.
Design by Ania Nałęcka-Milach
Farewell to Gáspe - Jersey's outpost in Canada /
A fitting end to my journey to the Gaspe Peninsula was to visit Vane Le Page who's family home I stayed in on this trip. His great grandfather Thomas Le Page left Jersey with his family for Canada in 1843 to avoid bankruptcy. His eldest son Thomas David Le Page worked as a caulker in the Collas an Co shipbuilding yard in Point St Peter, Malbay. His first wife, Susan Jane Coutanche from Jersey died in childbirth. Four years later Thomas David remarried Mary Ann Le Marquand who sadly also died twelve days after giving birth to Francis Le Page on 28 March 1889, Vane's father. Vane first wife Thelma Leggo also died in childbirth.
