During this week, a play which was being directed and set up by Adrew Buckle of Unifaun Theater Productions, was banned by the Board of Film and Stage Certification. The play is called Stitching and was written by a very famous playwright called Anthony Neilson who is also currently the Co-Director of the Royal Shakespeare Company.

In a reply to Andrew Buckle the chairperson of the Board of Film and Stage Certification, Teresa Friggieri, said that the play was banned because it was too shocking.

http://malta.indymedia.org/?q=node/7401

www.realtamadwarek.org has also been updated with new articles – check them out!

In reality, the only thing that is shocking is the existence of the Board of Film and Stage Certification.

(Entropa in pics)

David Cerny, already notorious for his provocative works which in the past have included a pink Soviet tank and a dismembered Jesus Christ in plastic foil, was asked by the Czech Presidency to produce a giant installation to be placed in the EU Council Building.

The Czech Republic, which holds the EU presidency, thought it had commissioned work from 27 European artists, the BBC said.

Instead, Cerny went ahead on his own; and with the help of two friends created a 16-square-metre map of Europe, with each country represented with a stereotype.

Cerny went as far as inventing the names of 26 other artists, including a Maltese artist, to the commission in charge of the project. Entropa was also accompanied with an official publication.

Alexander Caruana, the bogus Maltese artist, chose to depict Malta as a dwarf elephant saying that ‘for some people, its [Malta] size may be the cause of mirth. What, then, would they make of our most famous animal, which nobody had ever actually seen: the dwarf elephant, a creature almost too small to miss.’

Indeed, many found the work as offensive. Among them Bulgaria which, portrayed as a Turkish toilet, was clearly the most outraged by the work. In response, the Czech presidency apologized to Bulgaria offering to remove the image.

A clearly embarrassed Czech Deputy Prime Minister Alexandr said that ‘an agreement of the office of the government with the artist clearly stated that this will be a common work of artists from 27 EU states,’ adding that ‘the full responsibility for violating this assignment and this promise lies with David Cerny’ the BBC reported.

David Cerny has apologized for misleading the ministers and in his defence said ‘we wanted to find out if Europe is able to laugh at itself.’

And indeed, here is where the spanking of Cerny should stop. He was wrong in misleading but the work should be seen with the specs of satire. Let’s face it, we saw better, and Cerny can undoubtedly do better than that; nonetheless if the work is censored on the grounds that may or can offend a nation – then we ought to ask ourselves whether we created a bureaucratic monster that goes by the name of ‘political correctness’.

(for the main text)

Moon under water is a new project by British artist, Rupert Ackroyd, aiming to generate decorative devices themed to the locale. Using a sculptural practice, he sets out to create a mood with elements appropriated from the local area using a language derived from the techniques of chain retail outlets. At the heart of this project is a relationship with history; a study of tone creation where our fundamental relationship with history has changed.

The project begins with the premise of the possibility of an activity of sculpture. Read more

Opening reception:
Thursday January 15th, 2009 7.30pm

Exhibition Dates:
January 15th – January 28th, 2009

Opening Hours:
Wednesday – Friday 4pm – 8pm
Weekends 11am – 1pm, 3pm – 6pm

Rupert Ackroyd
“IKEA”
A talk examining IKEA as an example of lifestyle branding taken to a new level.

Saturday 17th January, 2009 7pm

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.

‘Strange Cargo’ by Isabelle Borg

After spending the afnie on the rocky beach of Sliema listening to the yarns of a girl in libertine Barca; I went to ‘Warehouse 8’, Marsa. Of course, I went there fashionably late, paid the entrance ticket and met a few friends. The event turned out to be quite something. First, it was the comedy of Alex Vella Gregory and Co. that blasted the first shells of what turned out to be a great evening, and then it was ‘Hunter’s Palace’ who rocked the place. Of the latter, I bought the CD, which I regretted. If you are going to do something, do it right guys; otherwise don’t bother! The evening at the Warehouse was finished off with mellow shots of rock and soundtracks giving away to projections.

My final verdict: Two Thumbs up for the Warehouse no. 8!

Still hyped up from the conversation with the Libertine girl and the events of the Warehouse, I drove to ‘Misfits’ bar. I was there at 2 a.m.; there were few people, no DJ, and insipid music. I had a pint (served in a plastic glass) and did the only thing that there was to do: talk about the Warehouse.

The evening was concluded with a greasy pizza from champs, Paceville.

Moral of the Story: Keep the Warehouse no. 8 in mind.

This eve: Espionage, Velo lounge, Valletta and Riviera for an early swim (maybe)