Tag Archives: valletta 2018

Not Just the City – Documenting the Gozo Residencies 2016-2018

16 Dec

The exhibition that is currently on at Spazju Kreattiv gives a fine selection of what has happened at the residency in Gozo over the past 3 years. It was difficult to choose between the 27 projects that happened there, but I think Justin Galea and I managed to give a good idea of the excitement and the vibes that all these different artist brought to the Maltese Island.

I’m grateful for this beautiful experience. It was great collaborating with all members of the Spazju Kreattiv team and with my partner in crime for Gozo, Regional Coordinator Victoria Martha Pace. Thank you also Valletta 2018 for entrusting me with this … and of course all artists ;-).

The exhibition is still on till the beginning of February. There will be three activities around the exhibition in January and February. More info on the website of Spazju Kreattiv.

 

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The Island Indoors

23 May

 

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Pleased to announce that the exhibition project curated by Stefan Kolgen and myself the support of Arts Council Malta through the Cultural Export Fund and got endorsed by Valletta 2018. The project has been developed in partnership with 252 CC (the cultural centre of Ekeren) and evolves in close collaboration with the participating artists: Caesar Attard, Matthew Attard, Aaron Bezzina, Ryan Falzon and Marc Thiron. Theatre wizzard Martin Baarda will help us with the installation of the exhibition in Hof De Bist.

The concept is based on a room in a castle/palazzo. Sunday roast is served. A typical Maltese dish is prepared. At first sight it looks like a normal dining room with images on the wall, a big chandelier and a couple dining. But when you look closer you will notice that nothing is what it seems. The couple at the table is only there in our perception and makes you wonder what they are talking about, while a peculiar soundscape accompanies their discussion.The longer we absorb the scene the more it becomes clear that this is not just a dining room, but an installation that tells a story. The objects present challenge us in our perception and open a critical dialogue with us the viewer. From that new thoughts, ideas might appear. Nothing is as it seems to be …

The exhibition runs from 10 to 30 November. Opening night 9 November. Discussion and meet & greet with the artists, 10 November afternoon (14:30-17:00).

The Island Indoors: in collaboration with 252CC – Cultural Centre Ekeren/Antwerp and Malta School of Art, supported by Arts Council Malta, endorsed by Valletta2018.

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25 years later

14 Jan

No New Year’s Resolution. Just a short reflection.

Recently I came across the poster promoting Antwerp 93. The tagline for the year questioned whether art can safe the world. Well it might not be able to safe the world, but it does make the world a better place. Over the past years I learned that one can make small differences through art and culture, so yes we can never have enough of it.

Honestly, it was not a coincidence bumping into that poster. Next week Valletta 2018 European Cultural Capital will kick off and exactly 25 years ago I had the pleasure to be part of Antwerp 1993 European Capital of Culture. Back then I just graduated and was one of the guides leading guests and visitors through the city and through all exhibitions related to the cultural capital year. It was an amazing year for a fresh graduate, as I had the opportunity to discover Antwerp’s cultural institutions on all levels. It was also the start of an art-full career. Since then I can be only grateful for what happened on my professional path.

When I left Belgium in 2015 I could not have imagined that I would again be working on an international inspiring level connecting with artist worldwide, since apart from other things, I’m again involved in a European Cultural Capital adventure. I’m honoured to be able to develop together with fantastic colleagues an artist in residence programme for Valletta 2018 that wanders towards expected and unexpected paths, connecting all art forms, science, education and health. The journey started two years ago and I hope it will leave something sustainable after the 2018.

Ready to roll and continue the story.

I wish you all an inspiring 2018 !!!

 

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Open Call Artist Residency at Esplora

30 Dec

Curious to know who will be the artist residing at the new science centre here in Malta. The Valletta 2018 Foundation together with Esplora Interactive Science Centre and the Malta Council for Science and Technology set up a residency programme for 2018 and invites artists to apply for an immersive Artist-in-Residence (AiR) experience.

This residency seeks to bring arts and science closer together through the art of storytelling and encourages productive interaction between international creatives and local creatives; between international creatives and communities, as well as, physical and virtual environments.

The Residency will be held at Esplora Interactive Science Centre, Triq il-Marina, Kalkara, Malta between April 2018 and May 2018 and will run for 6 weeks.

More information on the residency and the link to the application form can be found on the Esplora website. The call is open till the end of January.

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Challenging Times

3 Dec

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During the parallel session Challenging Times of the Valletta 2018 conference Living Cities, Liveable Spaces: Placemaking & Identity, Colleagues Pamela Baldacchino and Dr. Benna Chase gave insight of our ongoing research linked with the Deep Shelter Project at the Sir Anthony Mamo Oncology Centre. Honoured to be part of this research.

Together with the other presentations during that session, it was an inspiring and rich morning at the conference. Thanks go also to Prof. Franco Bianchini for moderating it so well and to the conference committee for bringing such interesting papers together in this session.

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One year in Malta – A year in pictures

21 Sep

this year has been a roller coaster … up to the next ones. #ACM #Valletta2018 #UoM #MaKS #Friends #Colleagues #Artistisayearinpicturescollage_193

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two articles in progress

13 Aug

I’m currently working on 2 articles

  • one on What happens when you combine digital storytelling and cultural mapping in a social setting. The paper is based on the project Jefke Tuf – a transmedia project in Winterslag which is coming at an end in September. This is the proposal that has been accepted for the conference mentioned below.

The paper and the project will presented at the Conference on Cultural Mapping: Debating Spaces and Places that will take place in Valletta at the end of October

  • and one in Dutch on interdisciplinair trajectories in higher arts education ( Interdisciplinaire trajecten in het hoger kunstvakonderwijs)

for the next issue of Muziekpedagogiek in Beweging published by the end of this year.

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