REVIEW Two high calibre exhibitions by Romeo Roxman Gatt & Matthew Attard

Review / Malta / Exhibtion

November - December 2021

JOANNA DELIA

Blink

TWICE

IF YOUR EYES ARE OPEN, YOU’LL SEE THE THINGS WORTH SEEING (RUMI)

It is not often that there are two concurrent solo shows of this calibre by Maltese born artists who are starting to make waves internationally. I caught up with the artists to delve into the process and rendition leading up to these shows.

Installation view, Trans Mercurial Vapor Bb, Roxman Gatt, football boots, soft toy, plaits, chains, 2021. Photo by Niels Plotard JOANNA DELIA is a medical doctor who specialises in cosmetic medicine. She is also a cultural consumer and art collector who tirelessly supports local contemporary art and culture.

MAMA’S BOY, WHICH RAN FROM THE 29 SEPTEMBER TO 27 OCTOBER 2021 IN A NEW ART SPACE AT 38, MAIN STREET BALZAN WAS THE THIRD SOLO SHOW BUT FIRST IN MALTA, FOR THE LONDON-BASED ARTIST ROXMAN GATT.

‘Gatt’s wider practice is centred on notions of sexuality, identity, and queer nature. Over the years, the artist has developed a vocabulary of materials – highly influenced by macho culture – to unpack patriarchal symbols. The car and its gear, shields, armour suits, among others, have all been redefined to speak about overlooked modes of vulnerability and oxymoron symbiotic relations in human bodies.

Mama’s boy plays with the biological notion of chimera – organisms that consist of more than one genotype under the same body, also known as bilateral gynandromorphs. Among other species, chimera butterflies are an example of non-binary animals existing in nature. These asymmetrical, weird, and rare creatures carry contradictory connotations on them, reflecting the trans discourse of today. From one side, the butterfly has often been the symbol of trans communities to highlight the journey of body transformation and beauty, while on the other, chimeras, they seem unnatural, alien creatures, almost like monsters, similarly to the stigma and violence that the trans community has been receiving from mass media.

The exhibition explores the notion of metamorphosis as an evolutionary process to unfold trans ecologies, embodied experience, memory, and liminal time. Comprised of newly-produced sculptures, paintings, and moving-image works, Mama’s boy questions the epistemic violence and duality that society, media, and science hold.’

JD: First solo show in Malta, your birthplace – and like most things in your life, you did it yourself. You even did the space up yourself. How does that feel?

RG: This was my third solo show, however the first one in Malta. My dad has helped me a great deal with this space and if it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t have managed to have a space like this. Recently, I have been thinking a lot about wanting or feeling the need to have a project space in Malta that would showcase artists and projects that I feel close to. This definitely wasn’t something I planned to do this year though. Coming back to Malta was also not expected, I came last September for what should have been a month and I am still here. During these months, a lot has happened, such as these projects that I have been working, on as well as my coming out as a trans man and the start of my transitioning journey.

JD: Relationship with curator – what was the curatorial process for this show?

RG: It is very important to work with someone who has a genuine interest and understanding of your work. Akis and I have developed a very beautiful friendship starting from day one, which was on my 30th birthday party. We started hanging out and following each other’s work ever since. It was the two paintings Take My Breast Away [diptych] that led to the birth of Mama’s Boy. >>

Review / Malta / Exhibtion

November - December 2021

MALTA

Continued

We were having a little dinner party at my home, and I invited Akis to my studio to see these paintings. Something inside me told me that he would be the perfect person to work with on this show. It was a huge feeling that I needed to share with him, and hope that he’d feel the same. After that we started working on this show, all throughout lockdown, via many zoom meetings and in my new studio this time at my parents’ house. It was somehow really easy to work together, Akis also wrote a text which I love, and he supported me throughout all of the working process.

There were times where I know that we both went through some doubts whether this could ever happen, with the pandemic, and us being in different countries and life situations, and I know we did this silently so as not to stress each other out. I believe that our friendship and sensitivity towards one another made this show happen, even if a year and a half later.

JD: I have often sensed an outpouring of repressed power and frustration in your previous work. Concrete boxing glove hitting the wall;car parts and cold metal objects as if undressed on the walls and floors – this feels less frustrated. More formed. Less cold. Is it so?

RG: There is still some steel, as well as frustration, however everything about this show is way more positive, you are right. The butterfly warriors have words welded onto them such as ‘Fairy Boy’, ‘Flower Boy’ and ‘Trans Joy’ as opposed to the ‘Neverlast’ written on the boxing glove that you mention. Being more comfortable or knowing that I am closer to the person I’ve always knew I was but was not able to be, might have been the reason to why the work seems to have a warmth and softness to it, that was not visible in my previous work. I am also constantly finding ways to challenge traditional ideas of masculinity, and this is helping me to become less cold of a person, as well as allowing myself to be more emotionally present.

JD: Are you laying yourself out for people to analyse?

RG: I think allowing myself to be vulnerable is what makes the work more powerful and true to itself. I am laying myself out there so that people can learn about certain issues that are important and matter considerably to me and should also matter considerably to them. Art has helped me a lot in my life and I truly belief that it could be a remarkable tool for many of us. My wish is for gender-nonconforming, non-binary and trans kids to know that there are various ways in which they can express themselves, and also that they are not invisible and that they are the future.

JD: Also, I’ve heard you mention a documenting process. How invasive has the process of documenting been?

RG: Documenting process – I assume you mean for the Rosa Kwir project?

JD: ‘Humanising the trans journey’ – is that part of your mission?

RG: Visibility, treated fairly and with respect. Making it clear that we have always existed.

JD: References to your mother’s experience is very powerful. Your art is communicating this. Can you tell us more?

RG: The show is a reflection of my childhood. A time when I felt misunderstood by those around me, when I never felt that I belonged. Dressed in a 1995 Man-

Angel Wings, Roxman Gatt, plastic motorbike parts, wire, spray paint, stickers, 2021. Photo by Niels Plotard Installation view, Mama’s boy, Roxman Gatt, 2021. Photo by Niels Plotard

chester United Umbro Sharp away grey football shirt, tucked inside the bed, arm placed around my mum’s neck, I knew it already, I was not my mum’s daughter but son. This body of work is a gift to my mother, a person who (because a woman) I feel is often taken for granted and made invisible, similarly to how I felt as a queer kid growing up. I feel I owe a lot of gratitude to my mum and to the beautiful women in my life who have taught me a lot and made me become the man I am today, a man who is able to embrace his femininity, welcome his vulnerability and allow himself to express emotions.

JD: What’s next? I heard there’s some media work being done by Malta based artist Charlie Cauchi. Can we have a glimpse into that?

RG: I have been working on Rosa Kwir alongside Charlie Cauchi for nearly a year now. We will be launching this project in November and am super excited to show it to the world. It has been the first time I have worked on a project like this, I am not someone who works with documentary much, so having to get in touch with so many new people from within the community and getting to work with 20+ participants has been quite challenging and outside of my comfort zone, however this has been one of the most inspiring and nurturing experiences I have had so far in my life.

The project will be the first archive of its kind and will be looking into alternative notions of masculinity bringing together stories of trans men, non-binary and LBQI masc-presenting people living in Malta. We will launch it in the same project space where Mama’s Boy is being shown, and hopefully this place will become an LGBTQI+ contemporary art gallery/project space that will be celebrating queer contemporary art every day, for as long as it exists and not just when there’s gay pride.

Romeo Roxman Gatt He / Him https://roxmangatt.com

RAJT MA RAJTX... NAF LI RAJT – A SOLO EXHIBITION BY MATTHEW ATTARD CURATED BY ELYSE TONNA FEATURING WORKS BY SUPPORTING ARTISTS RUNS FROM THE 25 SEPTEMBER TO 15 NOVEMBER AT VALLETTA CONTEMPORARY, 15, 16, 17 EAST STREET VALLETTA.

IMAGINE TRACING A 500-YEAR-OLD GRAFFITI DRAWING OF A SHIP WITH AN EYE TRACKER. IMAGINE RE-IMAGINING THIS ISLAND AS THE PROVERBIAL SHIP OF FOOLS. IMAGINE BEING SO FOOLISH AS TO PROTECT A DEAD TREE (WHICH SOMEHOW LENDS ITSELF TO AN IMAGE OF A CRUCIFIXION) WHILE UPROOTING HUNDRED YEAR OLD TREES FROM ONE OF MALTA’S MOST BEAUTIFUL ROADS. IMAGINE ENGRAVING ‘ALL LIVES MATTER’ ON AN OFFICIAL MEMORIAL PLAQUE ON THE SITE OF A RACIALLY-MOTIVATED MURDER. AND IMAGINE CAPTURING WHAT YOUR EYES CANNOT DENY TO HAVE SEEN. THIS IS SOME OF MATTHEW ATTARD’S WORK, CURATED BY THE INCREDIBLE ELYSE TONNA.

‘Matthew is strongly interested in situating his work within the realm of contemporary drawing. His interests include: the extension of the line within 3D spaces, the phenomenology of perception, datafication, drawing as a cyborg in dialogue with technology, the challenging of the use of data and technology, and provocations about how we represent ourselves in this day and age.

In 2018 he obtained his Masters degree from the Digital Arts Department, University of Malta, where he had started exploring the possibilities of using an eye-tracker as a drawing medium.

In 2009 he moved to Venice and collaborated with the Peggy Guggenheim Collection and the USA Pavilion at the Venice Biennale. His work has been shown in Venice, Rome, Valletta, Genoa, London, Beijing and Los Angeles among other cities. In 2014, Galleria Michela Rizzo invited him for the bi-personal show In Between/ Viewpoints with artist Rashad Alakbarov. In 2017 he was selected for the 3rd edition of the Le Latitudini dell’Arte Biennale, which took place at the Palazzo Ducale in Genoa. In 2018 he was awarded the Under 30 Euromobil prize at ArteFiera, Bologna.

In 2019 he was selected for a third time to exhibit during Ten Artists to Watch at LACDA, Los Angeles Centre for Digital Arts. During the same year, he was also present during the collective show Soglie e Limiti, curated by Elena Forin at Galleria Michela Rizzo, Venice. In 2019 he was selected to participate in Artissima Telephone at the OGR spaces in Turin, taking place during the Artissima Art Fair. He was also part of the https://reindex.galleriamichelarizzo.net/online project.

Matthew is shortlisted for the Lumen Prize 2021.’

JD: Eye-tracking has been mostly utilised in art to analyse spectators’ reaction to work. Are you the first to be drawing with it? Is drawing with an eye-tracker what you thought it would be?

MA: As you well state, the wide majority of experiments making use of the device concern the ‘experiencing’ of art. I did recently find some exceptions of artists who tested out eye-trackers for their own artmaking, and I am sure there might be other examples that I do not know of yet – the art world is nowadays a very big place. There are also references of artists who prior to the availability of the technology had assumed that drawing with the eyes would be an interesting concept. I haven’t come across examples of anyone using the eye-tracker in the way I am though, definitely not in relation to content and in the enforcing of the ongoing dialogue with the technology in view of the drawing. In this context drawing with an eye-tracker is nowhere near what I thought it would be, and it keeps surprising me and challenging my ideas.

JD: Is the eye drawing emotion? Anger? Boredom?

MA: I think that is a very good point I still need to fully come to terms with. I am using the eye-tracker from a very personal position, while at the same time, I am also characterising it. Therefore, some eye drawings might result from an act of boredom, or anger, or other states of mind; moments which are then transcribed through the technology and the embodiment of it. Different psychologies definitely feature throughout these processes. >>

Review / Malta / Exhibtion

November - December 2021

MALTA

Continued

JD: What have you learnt? From eye-tracking? What is the most powerful thing you have learnt?

MA: I believe that I am still in the process of learning through this, and in a way, I hope that I will always be. The process of eye drawing is not a fixed one and is directly related to looking and seeing, and I seek to keep on unveiling ways of seeing and critical ways of perceiving what surrounds me. It is also a process that opens up new ways of dialoguing with technology, and that dialogue develops greatly according to context.

JD: How was the relationship with Elyse Tonna your curator for this show? What was the process?

MA: Her curatorial input was a crucial aspect of the entire process leading to the final exhibition. We worked together on a daily basis since the very start of this ambitious project, and she was present during most of the eye drawing sessions I did for the show. This created a very dynamic, healthy, and critical approach towards the build-up of the exhibition. It not being a pre-packaged show but a process-based one, could only succeed through a process like the one Elyse brought to the table.

JD: In this show there was also inspiration and cooperation with other artists like Caesar Attard. Start with him – what’s the connection to this show?

MA: Yes, other artists have been invited to contribute with specific works to reinforce viewpoints and aspects in the show. In connection to how I employ the eye-tracker in my drawing, and how I am in dialogue with myself and the machine, Caesar’s work couldn’t not be there. His Self-Portrait from 1975 is one of the most powerful and courageous drawings I have ever seen, and it anticipates so much. It is very important that we acknowledge this. His selected Untitled drawings, which somehow all relate to the eye (and seeing), are also a crucial element to the narrative of the exhibition and add points of view of the way Caesar draws us from a place within. His work and our conversations are a strong point of reference to my work.

JD: The piazza – the collaboration with Aaron Bezzina, Pierre Portelli and Matthew Galea. Was the collaboration an afterthought, or a pre projected one?

MA: Pjazza was another fruitful and enriching collaboration, which had only been pre-projected to a certain point. It then developed collectively and curatorially. The moment we saw that it was possible to project the eye-drawings of both buildings on the wall, there was an opening for collaboration to transform the exhibition space into our own fictitious Castille Square. The artists were invited to re-interpret specific works that were somehow related to a concept for public space. Their contribution was a major driving force to the completion of the entire installation, and is crucial to the reading of the installation in its complexity.

JD: Are you happy with the side curated show with the other artists? MA: Definitely. The show Hars fuq hars in the project space is the result of an incredible collaborative effort. Together with curator Margerita Pulè, six artists were invited to participate in a visual experiment involving the eye-tracker. Gilbert Calleja, Charlie Cauchi, Ryan Falzon, Charlene Galea, Roxman Gatt and Alexandra Pace all wore the eye-tracker and looked at their own work, enhancing the position of being their own viewers. They were aware that what we would show was the resulting footage of their gaze as tracked by the eye-tracker. The way they creatively and distinctively employed the eye-tracker is widely stimulating, and contributed to the very interesting results exhibited in the final installation.

JD: Political statements – ship of fools, dead trees given more protection than living ones, the memorial of a hate crime/racially motivated murder. How important is activism in your art?

MA: The moment I chose to follow the intuition that within my practice I will be drawing with the eye-tracker while also using the device as a witness of what I see around me, I knew that I was not going to be just looking at drawing pretty sights. At the same time, I do not think that I provide statements in my work, but critical observations, which hopefully call for a point of reflection of what’s around us, how we live and who we are.

JD: Do you believe that the eyes tell the truth? Can the eye be deceived?

MA: As my experience of drawing with my eyes shows me, the eyes can be very difficult to control, direct and tame. However, they can definitely be deceived: as can the eye-tracker, as well as myself in view of the eye-tracker.

JD: What’s next? You have been nominated for some prizes? Michaela Rizzo gallery is taking you to Artissima – elaborate. What’s beyond that?

MA: Yes, I am very happy and honoured to have been shortlisted for the Lumen Prize. I will also be exhibiting work during this year’s Artissima in November with Galleria Michela Rizzo. These are great opportunities and hopefully can lead to satisfying results. After that, I will focus on finishing my practice-based PhD at the University of Edinburgh. This will be a good opportunity to reflect on the whole body of work done so far, articulate and elaborate on the salient points it hit, to then fuel new work and practice.

NOW OPEN!