LOCAL Maria Borg on Joseph Farrugia’s show “Residue”

Interview /Exhibition/ Malta

October - December 2022

MALTA

Residue

Residue is an exhibition by Joseph Farrugia, currently being displayed at Bureau Iniala in the heart of Valletta. Curator Maria Galea speaks about the work and the artist himself.

Photos by Lisa Attard

Residue brings together a collection of reflective research inspired from a scientific phenomena whereby Joseph Farrugia explores the existence of humankind through matter, consisting of particles, in relation to our conscious existence and we as humans leave different forms traces as proof of our existence. Joseph Farrugia’s deep analogy and thought provoking visuals arise questions that go beyond scientific theories, they tap into a somewhat religious or rather self reflection trajectory of who we are as beings both physically and theoretically. How do we define our traces, in this case referred to as residue, through generations and personal evolutions?

The first time I entered Joseph Farrugia’s studio I couldn’t help but notice one of his very first works exhibited at his solo exhibition at the Fine arts Museum in 1990. The painting was divided into a cluster of particles and formed a spectacular unified visual, almost like a puzzle that joined together to form our life. It was a realisation of how the artist’s trajectory has ever since been almost like an exploration of human experiences and their relation to scientific and religious theories.

Residue resonates with our past, present and future. The three works,’Liquid Time’, ‘Seated Presence’ and ‘The Rhythm of Fading’ are touching upon the evolution of generations, each generation is fading into the next leaving behind different traces of each person who has been part of this trajectory. ‘The Missing picture’ also touches on the feeling of sorrow and what our loved ones who are now gone, referring to sorrow and memories as the remaining residue left within us. Some of the works are left open to interpretation by the viewer however the collective creative process throughout the collection is an internal exploration of ourselves and what we each leave behind throughout our existence.

Even though the works bring along a deep refectory process, some visually reflect a sense of almost infinite lightness and ambiguity. Particularly in reference to ‘ Embrace’, ‘Nimbus’ and ‘A Garden of Stars’, each form a spectacular visual with the application of tiny charcoal and soft pastel dots applied in a very agile and free spirited manner. The artist in these works is almost embracing the creator through a scientific lens, bringing a human visual to life through a formation of dots that in this case reflex particles. In conclusion, this collection is a self reflective journey, a moment for us to pause, reflect and identify with the works the trajectory we all create and leave behind.

MG: What inspired this collection and how do you identify in it?

JF: In many ways, this collection of works is a progression of my past works over a span of more than thirty years. My drawings and painting have always delved into existential themes which essentially ask questions about the nature of being. Residue is an exhibition that invites the viewer to reflect about the reason for being, and what we leave behind.

Many of these works were inspired by an image I encountered whilst visiting a museum, where visitors could rest on three stools resting against a concrete wall. The constant flow of visitors seated on these stools leave an impression of their heads and shoulders on the wall which form a sense of collective identity through the traces they leave behind. In a similar manner, we leave traces of ourselves as we interact with our environment and with others, and are

The Missing Picture

in turn influenced by the residue of others. Although the imagery is fundamentally an exploration into spirituality, this sense of abstraction is also experienced in the digital world in the way we leave traces of ourselves when we purchase, network with others, and exchange information.

MG: How does the medium chosen reflect within the subject matter?

JF: The preferred media for these works are charcoal and soft pastels. I find these ideal for projecting a sense of fading, fading into the infinite. Some drawings are composed exclusively of thousands of tiny strokes that collectively build into a figure of a person juxtaposed against a vast expanse, or blended against a background like a shadow. I also find a crayon to be a more intimate and, in a way, impulsive medium which allows for gestural strokes that may also reflect the current mood of the artist and which is thus projected on the artwork.

MG: Science plays an important part onhow we view the world, in your works you interpret the understanding of scientific studies in relation to our existence, has this research and creative process of this series helped you develop your understanding of the matter?

JF: There are certainly references to scientific thought in these drawings. Science is about discovering truth, and explaining the ‘what’ of existence. Its major limitation is that it does not address the ‘why’ of being or how things are the way they are, which is the realm of spirituality. I believe that art can be a catalyst to bring the two together. This is not an entirely novel thought, as we find this constructive dialogue between science and art even in the renaissance, as happened in the application of perspective techniques, for example. In today’s world, science is making extraordinary progress in exploring the universe at cosmic level, most recently through the Webb telescope. At the other end of the spectrum, the marvels of the quantum world enable us to look and search inward and contemplate the nature of matter. I find that, even though I am certainly not a scientist, these discoveries inspire artists to look beyond what is, and to provoke questions about the nature of existence, even if such questions do not have definite answers. This is why art, science, spiritualty and religion have always been at the core of human civilisation.

MG: What should the viewer expect?

JF: I think that the viewer will be facing works that are aesthetically pleasing through the technique used and subject matter, but which also bounce back to provoke meditation and self-reflection.

Residue, by MarieGallery5, runs until 21st October. Bureau Iniala is on 37, Treasury Street, Valletta

The Shadow

Self Perpetuating Spirit