A few days before curtains fell on 2008, the Malta Contemporary Art in collaboration with Kinemastik held the proletarian cultural weekend.
I only attended one film – ‘Please, Vote for Me’; a Chinese documentary on ‘experimental democracy’ in a primary school in China, where children had the opportunity to vote for their ‘Class Monitor’.
The documentary was opened by, former Prime Minister, Dr. Alfred Sant (and then they said he does not have a sense of humour) and once the film was over he moderated a very interested discussion on the film.
On Alfred Sant
Alfred Sant is a peculiar man.
He has set the standard for the anti-thesis of the Hallmark Maltese Politician – a separated man (not sure if he is actually divorced), an introvert, and a man who is not willing to bend on his principles, even though it means losing sympathy. The refusal to kiss the cross in that silly parliamentary tradition is a point in case.
By not accepting the results of the referendum he set me apart from him. It was a matter of principle.
History was for sure not kind with him; some of the criticism that went his way was well deserved, however, others, were clearly unfair, especially that that had nothing to do with politics but more with the darker sides of politics.
the dust still needs to settle down, time will for sure tell its own, on a peculiar man that seems as oddity within the Maltese politics class, which is dull at best, mediocre at worst.
On the film
As I saw it, the film was a clear criticism of modern democracy. Of a democracy that lacking any serious issues, has turned its elections into a lousy talent show.
It is a gem of anyone interested into looking at modern democracy.
This is a summary of the film:
Wahun is a city in China the size of London where an experiment in democracy is conducted. At Evergreen Primary School, a grade 3 class learns what democracy is when an election for class monitor is being held. Three children are chosen by the teacher as candidates and they have a few days to campaign and convince their classmates to vote for them. The little candidates are seen at school and at home, where their parents do their best to make sure their child will win the election. Read
On eight eighteen
Eight eighteen was the opening exhibition of the Malta Contemporary Art, in Marsa. The curator of the exhibition was Mark Mangion, who is also the director of the space. The idea behind it was to have a STart exhibition, where each member was asked to select a younger artist.
For the exhibition I had planned a 3×2 metre painting, which after so much effort, I decided for the better well-being of humanity to scrap it and produce an installation of drawings which I had previously shown in Germany and a month or so later at the GWU’s exhibition space.
I presented three frames, connected with the theme of America pop-culture.
As far as I am aware of, I received two reviews for my pieces – all wrapped in a Christmassy nutshell saying that I was a ‘lazy-cunt’ for ‘recycling’ my own work.
The reviews came from the Times and from a fellow blogger, which at first sight gives the impression of having some kind of knowledge of what is going on in Malta.
I believe that this was my first negative reviews. Mind you, not that previous review, descriptive if anything, brought me fortune, fame and Parisian models to boot. However, I can’t really complain about it, as I always broke even with the expenses.
Moving on.
That is, with my work.
I do not blog much about my work. The simple reason behind it is that in the larger context of life, I as well as my output as an artist, or whatever fancy term you wish to tag, play a very insignificant role.
Even if that was not the case; to spend time, creating literature to annotate my current state of mind or to brief on the work in process, assuming that others are actually interested in me, in my work, and the world I create in my small drawings or large canvases, would be like that guy who posses in front of the gym’s mirror, flexing his biceps and abdominals. The correct psychological term would be Narcissus; however the vernacular tosser seems to me a more adequate adjective.
Also, if truth were to be told, the actual making of art does not play a central role in my life, if anything, it lives on the peripheries, but easily reachable.
I believe that this ‘distance’ is what made this ‘relationship’ work, so far.
In 2007, after the Exhibition at the National Museum, I decided to scratch my works (metaphorically, that is) and start a new body of work, unconnected with the previous (if that is always possible). A set of drawing is what came out from it, which, as said, I exhibited twice in solo exhibitions, in Germany and in Malta, and three of which I presented at the MCA in December to close the 2008 season.
I sold a few, and gave others away.
If you take art, in its broader sense, as a form of communication, as I do, then you will realize that there are enough people who want to say something. Some are worth listening, however, most of it, is rubbish.
I subscribe to the notion that if you don’t have anything to say then it is better to hush, to mum, and to listen to what others have to say.
Good manners, I guess.
Said this, I do not see myself holding a solo exhibition with a new body of works before late 2009 or the year after.
