Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1234806
9 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 12 APRIL 2020 INTERVIEW bution to the economy. Are we overlooking the importance of the liberal arts when it comes to such measures? I don't think so. The govern- ment's 'Covid Wage Supple- ment' also includes self-em- ployed persons in the creative arts in its list of sectors that are eligible for financial support during the pandemic. People whose main source of income is an artistic activity are now entitled to a monthly contri- bution, along with many others involved in a variety of occupa- tions, from retail to transport and hairdressing. Needless to say, such meas- ures help to stimulate a creative sector that is, even in 'normal' times, quite fragile. For the last few weeks, we have seen gov- ernments around Europe inter- vening through emergency ser- vices and solidarity measures like these, at least on a national basis. These well-intended 'so- cialist' measures can also be seen as indirect 'control' strat- egies: driving away, at least temporarily, the possibility of civil unrest. In the US, civic groups, crowdfunding initiatives and other organisations are also offering artists various types of grants. In Malta, creative indi- viduals and their families will be relieved to receive state ben- efits. At the same time, subsist- ing for a long time on state aid also has its dangers. It's im- portant that the arts remain autonomous and connected to communities, including com- munities that have known the meaning of isolation for a long time. In the same article, you also wrote that "in a climate which puts a quick buck before regu- lar citizens' safety, health and environment, the arts become more crucial than ever." Do you feel this view is more, or less relevant in light of the present crisis? I was referring to the con- struction industry in Malta: which, interestingly, is still more or less active until now, despite the overall paralysis we are experiencing. More than ever, artists in Malta need to move away from a neoliberal, individualistic model towards a model of shared action, which should not be confused with a shallow 'feel-good' approach to artistic production. It is understandable that many people working in the arts are currently at a loss about how to move forward, but the political role of the arts remains as decisive as ever, if not more so. In a society whose conversations revolve exclu- sively around a single topic, art can be an interrupting force, reminding us of other realities. Education has been particu- larly affected, with the advent of 'online learning'. How has this impacted the sector on a practical level? Can digital technology effectively replace the traditional class struc- ture? Without digital technology, higher education would now be at a standstill. Primary and secondary school teachers would be unable to communi- cate with pupils in their homes. Many mainstream art teachers and international academics I have corresponded with in the last couple of weeks have explained how they are coping with their work, despite the obvious difficulties of teach- ing practical subjects this way. Facebook groups, offering ad- vice to teachers, have sprouted. But is it the same thing? Not quite, and I do not say this be- cause we have suddenly lost touch with traditional school timetables, examinations and so on. A break from structures like those might actually be a good thing. Online teaching is not the same, because education relies on dialogue and social encoun- ters. In a university setting, how do you teach about social engagement through the arts while practising social distanc- ing? And in compulsory educa- tion, the visual arts encourage children to encounter real-life experiences through the mate- riality of their media. Connections with other peo- ple and materials help us to dream of what we might be- come, as opposed to being ex- posed through online media to what is 'wrong' with us. There is a lot of talk about how this crisis is reshaping our perceptions of society: with many expressing the belief that some of the changes we are witnessing may give rise to new (and better) political/ social realities in future. Do you share this optimism? Many of us have certainly learnt to savour simple things in our everyday lives. Solidari- ty with vulnerable groups filled many of us with hope. But the pandemic has also fuelled the prejudices of hate groups and right-wing factions around the world. In India, #CoronaJihad helped to spread Islamophobia on Twitter. In some countries, nationalistic sentiments have been articulated in expressions of sovereignty, fear of foreign- ers and restricted definitions of public health that segregate groups in 'open centres'. Emergency powers granted to the Prime Minister in Hungary have led many to question the true motives of such legisla- tion; COVID-19 has essential- ly become the government's springboard for additional au- thoritarian measures, crippling judicial powers, cultural insti- tutions and minorities. Once this crisis is over, gov- ernments everywhere will be expected to return to a 'nor- mal' state of affairs – a world in which dolphins in Venice's canals remain as fake as they always were, and poverty as re- al as ever. And artists will have more work to do, helping to build relationships and to facilitate a more global approach to ed- ucation and culture. Once this crisis is over, governments everywhere will be expected to return to a 'normal' state of affairs – a world in which dolphins in Venice's canals remain as fake as they always were, and poverty as real as ever