Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1115758
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 12 MAY 2019 7 THIS WEEK ART pened without the support of Malta Arts Fund, that awarded us a Project Support Grant, and Canada Council for the Arts and Ontario Arts Coun- cil. What do you make of the visual arts scene in Malta? What would you change about it? The visual arts scene is growing: it's becoming more research-based and is gaining substance. There is still a problem here of the arts being considered as a side job, or a hobby. That has to stop in order for more serious and exciting growth to happen. We need more daring works, more works that are timely, and more con- versation about Maltese online and offline reality and how they overlap. We need more honest works and less sexist work (as an example in- sert here all-male shows happening in the last 12 months with men ex- ploring the 'nude' as some kind of poetic act, objectifying women by portraying them as passive wallflow- ers). We need greater female representa- tion in the arts and more active criti- cism and show reviews; more ability to take criticism and engage in con- versation about it. People, stop taking criticism so per- sonally… it's seriously not helping. Generally, we need more conversa- tion in the arts, more openness, less elitism, less nepotism. What's next for you? Firstly, we've got two Art Additives events at Spazju Kreattiv coming up in mid-May and the end of May, where we'll be discussing our works in depth. Watch Malta's favourite social net- work for updates. Everyone is wel- come to join, to ask questions and criticise our work. As for other work, my project Algo- rithmic Oracle is part of the playlist/ group screening Little Hell Gate by Daata editions at Frieze, New York, and between 6 and 31 May, Algorith- mic Oracle will be shown at Vanity Projects in Miami. Later this year I'll be a resident at Zaratan Contemporary Art Space in Lisbon, exploring low res imagery and fake heritage, which will be followed by an online residency at Offsite Pro- jects. Object, Objetc, Objecc will remain on display at Spazju Kreattiv, Valletta until June 16 "We need greater female representation in the arts and more active criticism and show reviews" personally Letta Shtohryn: "People, stop taking criticism so personally… it's seriously not helping" 'Crypto Heaven' by Letta Shtohryn