Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1243341
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 3 MAY 2020 5 THIS WEEK ART necessary mutations been happening, but I believe exhibitions can visualise these in varied ways, create discussion and debate but also raise ques- tions and get publics to think. What were some of the challenges in putting together an exhibition that collates the visual arts history of Malta? How did you side-step the risk of just ending up being a 'greatest hits' gr- ab-bag of the most significant elements that characterise the trajectory of Maltese art? The positive thing about this project, and what I consider to be one of the strengths that contributed to its suc- cess, was the commitment, expertise and know-how of the team entrusted to deliver on this project that I had the pleasure and privilege to lead and work with. Then Architecture Project's Tom Van Malderen and Martina Cutajar led the design and layout of the exhibition project informed by the bespoke concept purposely developed for this exhibition project. Artists Pierre Portelli and Aus- tin Camilleri, also commissioned works in dialogue with the careful selection of works of art, heritage objects and materi- al culture, were also part of the discussion at a second stage as they chose where and at what point to react and engage with the exhibition narrative. Logistics were covered by Heritage Mal- ta's pertinent departments, specifically commissioned for this task by the Work- ing Group for the Artistic Programme of the Presidency. Revisiting Maltese identi- ty from scratch without any preconceived ideas to consider a priori, working with two top class artists and a meaningful multidisciplinary approach are some of the ingredients that I can gladly highlight. The curatorial choice was also extended to include a broader range of stakehold- ers with artefacts on display chosen from national museums, house museums and private collections. This was comple- mented by a choice of artefacts coming from international museums and private collections some of which had rarely been showcased. The broader stakeholder in- volvement and the different take on the subject could make the concept work in visual terms, and present the dialogues as intended. How important was the publication of the catalogue to the overall impact and scope of the exhibition itself, and what do you make of the fact that a second edition was printed? That a second edition was in the offing most likely came across in the months following the exhibition inauguration. Midsea Books had flagged this potential early in the day and I was pleased and honoured to willingly oblige and take the project forward. The scope and purpose of the first edition was intended to pres- ent the research leading or in reaction to the exhibition concept itself. The cata- logue served its purpose well and kept do- ing so beyond the exhibition timeframe in such a way as to sell out rather fast. This is when the second edition in abridged for- mat comes into the picture. A second edition of an exhibition cat- alogue is quite rare in local and interna- tional circumstances but the essays and research featured in the first edition, and the need to document the project appro- priately, made the second edition a de- sired ambition. I am most grateful to the contributors of the first edition who glad- ly accepted to have their contribution in- cluded in the second. It is also an honour to have Prof David Abulafia's foreword and HE President George Vella preface to this second edition. Given your experience of both the local and international museum and visual arts scene, what would you say are some of the most significant and urgent matters that local artists and museum/ gallery curators should consider both during and post-COVID? I think the local reaction across all cul- ture sectors broadly reflects the main- stream reaction across Europe and be- yond. The challenges ahead are certainly considerable and there is no off-the-shelf solution waiting to be picked up and im- plemented. Each country's arts and cre- ative sector would need to find its own recovery path, although the extent of knowledge-sharing happening at this point in time via social media networks and platforms can certainly help. What might perhaps be the biggest challenge ahead is the need to rethink our understanding of what the audience is, through meaningful and well thought- out projects bridging physical and vir- tual experiences with publics moving in between the two at the same time – be they local, international or both. Indeed, an integrated approach informed by au- dience empathy can turn things around, but the situation can also be the catalyst for innovation and out of the box ideas that can spearhead major change. The re- search to do so is there and readily avail- able. The next step might be much more within reach than some might think but the envisaged reconstruction would need to think sustainability much more. What's next for you? Following my departure from MUŻA in early 2019 after close to twelve years leading the National Museum of Fine Arts and its major rethink, I am now more active than ever in education both at the University in Malta and other for- eign universities (mainly Italian), and on international projects and conferences. I share thoughts, ideas and reflections on the international museum landscape reg- ularly on my blog publication – The Hu- manist Museum – and the response has been very encouraging. I am still learning the ropes but I do get lots of feedback from almost anywhere, including Asian colleagues willing to translate content to Chinese or acknowledgements of sorts coming from almost anywhere around Europe and beyond. Incidentally, one of my blog posts unexpectedly got flagged by the American Alliance of Museums as further reading. I consider all this to be very encouraging and, indeed, humbling. This blog publication will inform the content of a webinar I shall be giving as part of the Network of European Mu- seums Organisations webinar series – Museum Lives in Post-Pandemia – hap- pening this coming 6 May. Hopefully, another publication will soon be in the works but am sure we will have time to discuss that when in hand. In the mean- time, I plan to keep moving forward with the support and thanks to the healthy ex- changes of colleagues and friends in Mal- ta and beyond. The second edition of the catalogue for Malta. Land of Sea is published by Midsea Books. Sandro Debono will be delivering a webinar on 'Museum Lives in Post-Pandemia' on May 6 at 11:00, organised by the Network of European Museums Organisations. For more infor- mation log on to https://www.ne-mo.org/ training/nemo-webinars.html "The challenges ahead are certainly considerable and there is no off-the-shelf solution waiting to be picked up and implemented" Sandro Debono