Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1275149
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 2 AUGUST 2020 4 THIS WEEK ART TEODOR RELJIC speaks to art researcher Dr Nikki Petroni about her currently ongoing collaboration with The Mill in Birkirkara as the venue – founded by artist Gabriel Caruana and occupying a unique position in Malta's visual arts scene – celebrates its 30th anniversary with the 30@20 initiative, which aims to pin down for posterity the community's memories of the place Sifting through the memories Could you tell us a little bit about your background as an arts researcher? What are some of your main fields of interest, and have you found your academic pursuits to be helpful in assessing the way Malta's cultural sphere currently functions? I have pursued research on Maltese Modern and Contemporary art for a few years now, completing a doctoral degree in 2019 under the tutelage of Prof. Gi- useppe Schembri Bonaci after a decade of art historical studies. This journey has provoked endless questions on Malta's modern history, revealing a complexity of intertwined narratives. This can be said for all historical contexts, howev- er, there is so much about our history and culture which is not even uttered, let alone discussed or even debated. The historical roots of today's context allow us to penetrate into the reasons, and also the problems, for how and why things function the way that they do. The study of Malta's history has been more than helpful in this regard, yet it also shows how much still needs to be confronted and brought to the fore in order to understand ourselves, our soci- ety, and culture. The contemporary arts scene has greatly expanded the way we look at art and culture. Nonetheless, the crucial links between today and the past are generally overlooked or cast aside, and this is problematic if we are to fos- ter meaning, innovation and creativity in the arts. How were you introduced to the 30@20 project at the Mill, and what drew you to it? The Gabriel Caruana Foundation is- sued a call for a researcher focused on Maltese modern art, as part of the 30@20 – The Mill project funded by the Voluntary Organizations Project fund of the Malta Council for the Voluntary Sec- tor. This was an ideal position for me to take on given my research background and relationship with the GCF. I had previously worked with the GCF and curated an exhibition at The Mill, as well as participated in other activities at the cultural venue, so this project in- terested me for many reasons. Gabriel Caruana was one of Malta's pioneering artistic figures. Apart from The Mill and the GCF, his memory has been hon- oured by the Department of Art and Art History at the University of Malta in an international academic conference that discussed his work and the elevation of ceramics into an art form. Caruana played this seminal role on the global scene, together with some other interna- tional artists. It is an exciting opportu- nity to be able to delve deeper into the history of one of his more significant projects, and on the only successful at- tempt at a sustained and dedicated mod- ern art space. Caruana wanted to even- tually see the establishment of a national museum that would compare to those overseas, such as the Museo Internazi- onale delle Ceramiche in Faenza, Italy. He worked tirelessly, together with his wife Mary Rose, and his ambition and courage remain exemplary to this day. What kind of role would you say The Mill plays in Malta's ongoing visual arts history? Gabriel Caruana was one of Malta's foremost modern artists, a creative and motivated figure in our art history who did his utmost to foster spaces of crea- tive and artistic exchange. The Mill is one of the many, and one of the most significant, projects which he left for posterity. As a space beyond Valletta, as a non-white cube site for art planted un- expectedly in the centre of Birkirkara, it Gabriel Caruana (Photo: Gabriel Caruana Foundation Archives) Nikki Petroni. Photo by Zvezdan Reljic "As a space beyond Valletta, as a non-white cube site for art planted unexpectedly in the centre of Birkirkara, The Mill poses an alternative for established and upcoming artists alike"