EXHIBITION Weapons of Mass Destruction by Darren Tanti

Interview /Exhibition / Malta / Darren Tanti

December 2022 - February 2023

MALTA

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.

JOANNA DELIA

He saw the world through war-tinted glasses

IWOMD - Spazju Kreattiv 2022

Warhorse. Photo by Neil Farrugia

That the show Inaction is a Weapon of Mass Destruction by Darren Tanti is of remarkable magnitude is undeniable. A major solo exhibition by Artist Darren Tanti, curated by Melanie Erixon, the body of work depicts the artist’s reaction of the portrayal of atrocities committed in the name of war in the media. The works vary from large, powerful and imposing oils on canvases, to interesting sculpture. I caught up with Darren for a few reflections.

JD: How did you meet your curator? What was her role in this project?

DT: I’ve known Melanie for over a decade now. We did work on multiple projects together and since Melanie and Antoine Farrugia gave me the opportunity to exhibit at il-Kamra ta’ Fuq to show the ‘Ahmar Helu w’Qares’ body of work in December 2021, we continued to work together on various other projects.

Melanie’s role as curator for this project developed in a natural way. She saw the initial artworks in 2018, way before the concept of the project was born. Over the months, as the work developed, we discussed the artworks and the trajectory that it was taking. Things gained momentum immediately after ‘Ahmar Helu w’Qares’ when the exhibition slot to show this body of levels of exploration were given space throughout the space in Spazju Kreattiv and at il-Kamra ta’ Fuq.

JD: How did the idea of this project start? What was your drive and motivation for this show?

DT: This project started around four years ago as a reaction to the dangerous threats that former US President Donald Trump and North Korea’s Supreme Leader Kim Jong-Un were posing to each other; threats that could have caused human extermination on an unprecedented scale by the simple push of one big red button (quoting President Donal Trump). At the time, the world was still grappling with various news of the unfolding disasters in Syria and other upheavals related to the 2010 Arab Spring rebellions that were still

work with Spazju Kreattiv was fixed. At the time most of the artworks were ready but more artworks were still being developed. During this phase Melanie kept a watchful eye, following the various trajectories my work was taking, but never meddling around with my creative process. She would ask me questions and discuss ideas, but more as an exercise to understand rather than to impose. It was closer to the exhibition preparation phase, that she took a very active role as curator and manager. She ensured that the different

“Art can never be discredited as futile - it can be the trigger as well as the bullet”