Artists, Identities, and a changing Evironment

18 Creative Maltese in Parallel » Part 3

Part 3: Artists, Identities and a changing Environment

19 Creative Maltese in Parallel » Part 3

Most artists are influenced by their surroundings in one way or another, with a changing sense of place altering both the style and the subject they choose to work with. Perhaps in the past this was more evident as certain art movements were prevalent in particular cities before spreading to other cities and countries. Nowadays, artists have easy access to traveling and through the internet they are able to instantly observe what’s happening in art scenes around

the world. Although we can still identify typical contemporary Mexican, Japanese and European art styles amongst others, contemporary creatives can more easily experiment with styles borrowed from various cultures worldwide. Despite this, we still often find that artists are inspired by the space around them, and in the case of immigrant artists, we might also see influences from their country of origin, sometimes interlaced with influences from their adopting country.

An example of important immigrant artists’ work are Gauguin’s Martinique landscapes and Tahiti paintings, while In the literary world, Hemingway’s well known novels have been written in and inspired by various parts of the world. Giorgio De Chirico’s paintings on the other hand were a reflection of his early childhood experiences, some believe. When he lived in Paris in the 1910’s he painted a series of paintings that featured empty town squares that are thought to be inspired by his childhood in Greece. Nowadays, because traveling has become so convenient, we are seeing the rise of Art Residency programmes abroad. Art Residencies have become immensely popular over the past couple of years, and they offer an alternative to immigration when artists are looking for a brief escape to explore ulterior, unfamiliar landscapes and spaces away from their country of origin.

20 Creative Maltese in Parallel » Part 3

Would you say that living outside of Malta affects the kind of creative work that you do?

Yes No 92 % 8 %

21 Creative Maltese in Parallel » Part 3

In this part of the study I wanted to explore how Maltese creatives have seen their work change when they lived abroad or spent time abroad, and whether their changing identity had any effect on the work and in their personal artistic growth.

“Design has a different identity depending on the country,” maintains Marco Scerri, a Glasgow-based Graphic Design Lecturer and practising Graphic Designer. He says that British and Scottish design have their own particular values, and that although his work has inevitably been influenced by these characteristics, in the past couple of years he’s been looking more towards values closer to home, to shape his design approach. “I don’t think Maltese design has identifiable characteristics. There seems to be no documented Maltese design history, so I can’t compare myself to that. Recent years have seen an increased interest in the development of Maltese design and I would be very keen for my work to contribute to that story – it’s an exciting prospect, as design in Malta feels like an uncharted territory.” (Marco Scerri, Face-to-face Interview, 2018). Marco also feels that since he has been living in Glasgow, he has become more self-aware of his national identity due to a friction he sees between British and Mediterranean cultures – he doesn’t identify himself as a Maltese national, but more as an individual with Mediterranean heritage. He states that in recent times, he feels ideas informing his work have shifted closer to the Mediterranean, rather than Malta, specifically.

Justine Ellul, a photographer based in Malta who spent 4 months doing creative work in Iceland, expresses that living for a brief period in Iceland taught her how to enjoy her alone time indoors. She says that as Iceland is a quiet country with little clubs or hangout spots, she was left with plenty of time to work and enjoy nature, which has in turn inspired and created a new direction for her photography art practice. “It was an experience I needed for growth, independence and inspiration. Living in a different environment helps one in many ways and it has definitely helped me to understand what I like and dislike, not only artistic wise but also as a lifestyle.” (Justine Ellul, Email interview, 2018). Justine feels that now that she is back in Malta, her experience in Iceland has changed the way she works and the subjects that she works with. She states that seeing new places is what she calls “a kind of physical research”. Daniela Attard says that since moving to London, she has become more disciplined and productive in her personal creative work. She also explains that she is working on a series of self-portraits to explore what she calls her “weird identity crisis”, while Alexandra’s work has changed from being Maltainspired to become more feminist since her moved to Berlin. “My present work references pop culture and reflects my identity as a girl rather than my identity as a Maltese person,” (Alexandra Aquilina, Video-Call Interview, 2018).

“The time and the environment that you’re in changes your work. In Malta I used to get more inspired because I was outdoors more of the time, but at the same time, I can see a transition in my creative work from past work because I have developed new knowledge.” (Michael Quinton, Video-call Interview, 2018). Other participants expressed that their environment is often reflected in the colours, shapes and textures they use in their work. Claudia’s identity is reflected in the colours that she uses in her work, where she uses vibrant colours that remind her of Malta. Flavio Bezzina, a Maltese artist who lived in Sweden for a year was inspired by the country’s dark forests, myths and folklore which translated into his work via the use of cold colours and grotesque figures. Inez Baldacchino expresses that she is looking forward to channeling elements of Malta into her animation work, such as themes of sunshine, sea, salt and warmth.

Louise Aquilina says that social, cultural and political situations feed creativity and without these influences, creative work becomes superficial and flat. She states that the more an artist is exposed to different situations and cultures, the richer his/her “food” is and the quality of this food dictates the quality of the reaction. “I believe moving away broadened my accessibility to certain situations. Being abroad put me in touch with many individuals and opportunities to aid the progression of my creative career. Being a designer based in London enhances you with a sort of credibility that gets you noticed in places. I was marketed as part of a ‘Brits Abroad’ scheme after my MA which got me into the Berlin fashion scene, and the Berlin scene contacts got me sponsored to take my work to Pitti in Florence, which got me some good press and contacts of great value.” (Louise Aquilina, Email Interview, 2018). Louise continues to say that being exposed to different cultures and people instilled in her a respect for diversity, which she feels was absolutely vital for her development and maturity. Although she mentioned that she was exposed to a multicultural attitude from childhood, she feels that living abroad added a further “layer” to her adaptation skills.

Nicole Sciberras also saw new layers emerging when living abroad, and these layers gave her the liberty and independence to do more of what she liked and to build her personality around them. She feels that when she lived in Malta she was kept busy with things that she didn’t necessarily enjoy doing or felt passionate for, and by living abroad she has enriched her personality.