Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1146457
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 21 JULY 2019 5 THIS WEEK PHOTOGRAPHY the quiet zone story and let the content speak for itself. Our process has always been led by the material – Joanna's imagery, the inter- views we conducted in Green Bank, and the essay I wrote upon returning. We constantly swap notes and ideas, but also give each other the space to work autonomously. The truth is that we all visited the same place, so our findings are cohesive by nature. The final prod- uct is a faceted snapshot of our experi- ence of that place. JD: We both had the liberty to tackle the project however we felt we should. Ann's was more of a personal experi- ence, while gaining more information from the people we spoke to. My ap- proach was rather to build a narrative around this idea of an environment with limited technology, and make it less of a first-person narrative. Articulating the overbearing 'silence' and 'media isolation' that must characterise a place like Green Bank must have been quite challenging to pin down, both visually and by means of the written word. In light of this, how did you set about building a necessary and relevant aesthetic framework for the project? AD: You're right, it has been chal- lenging, but the experience of living in Green Bank was so distinct that the narrative tools needed to present that experience eventually revealed them- selves quite naturally. With regard to the text – which will take the physical form of a small booklet that people can take away with them – I quickly knew I wouldn't be writing an analytical, blow- by-blow account about the virtues and/ or disadvantages of the internet. The es- say is written as a creative non-fiction piece, showcasing our personal experi- ence in Green Bank as digital natives. We wanted to put forward our own re- actions, emotions, and coping mecha- nisms as they unfolded in Green Bank as a vital part of the project's research. Our own feelings, in effect, become a crucial exhibit within the show. Using creative non-fiction as a writing mode also allowed me to focus on unearthing the texture of Green Bank as a place – there's a lot of emphasis on descriptive passages within the essay – the land- scape, the built environment, even the interiors of spaces in Green Bank are a very important part of how the text works. JD: The context of Green Bank and its surrounding towns is quite interesting. I think it is important to say that we went there thinking it was completely void of internet, as that is how it was portrayed in articles we read online. However, the reality we discovered was not so extreme. Many residents do have a wifi connection in their home, however it is a weak one, not strong enough to upload a video or buffer a movie. There is connection, but it is there in pockets. There is no mobile service and therefore no constant con- nection, and for me this was somehow even more interesting. Visually, I tried to focus on photographing the results of what such a unique environment in today's Western world brings about; the people who moved to the town to escape constant radiation digital devic- es bring about, the lively senior centre at the heart of the town due to an ag- ing population which is in some ways brought about by the lack of strong internet connections, the residents' relationship with nature, the seductive pull of a free public wifi connection, to name a few. What do you make of the local visual arts scene? What would you change about it? AD: I've lived away from Malta since 2011, and although I have constantly returned for short periods of time since then, I always feel slightly nerv- ous about providing an assessment on the arts scene as a relative outsider. The truth is, though, that I would probably feel the same if I were based on the is- lands, because trying to understand and critique something while you're in it – or while it's still revealing itself – always feels like such an abstract thing to do. What I would say is, even though I am not a huge fan of a lot of the more man- ufactured endeavours that have taken place within the Maltese art scene over the past five years, they have seemingly made an impact on visibility and access. There seems to be more money and more meaningful 'PR' available for vis- ual artists. But there are still problems – cliques, lack of resources, lack of public interest, lack of critics. These seem to remain the most prevalent issues. JD: I think that when it comes to tal- ent in the field, it is definitely blooming. Especially in recent years, I am seeing an ever-increasing amount of young, passionate photographers emerging. However I do feel there is a lack of work concerning issues or subjects which are more political or controversial in na- ture. We are fortunate when it comes to aspects such as funding and exposure, however I would definitely increase the amount of events available to remain engaged and deepen our practice (such as workshops, networking, talks, festi- vals etc). The Spaces That Connect Us will be on display at Valletta Contemporary from July 26 to August 14. The exhibition is supported by the US Embassy and the project was supported by Arts Council Malta - Research Support Grant. The photographs of the exhibition are also sponsored by ILab Photo. "I do feel there is a lack of work concerning issues or subjects which are more political or controversial in nature" – Joanna Demarco Joanna Demarco's photography documents time spent in the internet-deprived town of Green Bank, USA, between 2018 and 2019