Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1350550
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 14 MARCH 2021 4 ART Variable Depth, Shallow Water, an exhibition by Izabela Pluta VISITING the recently-fallen sea stack Dwerja, also known as The Azure Window, on the island of Gozo, Pluta was cap- tivated by what was one of the world's most spectacular ex- pressions of geological time. Dwejra, an underwater debris of limestone rock – originally 28-metres tall – now lies about 12 meters below sea level. Drawing on the reflexivity of the photographic medium, Pluta uses images, video, ob- jects and sound as the foun- dation for this new exhibition, 'Variable depth, shallow water'. The installation's key material includes corrupted data filmed using a drone lost at sea and subsequently retrieved. In- spired by Dwerja, the concept of deep time, the instantane- ous moment of change, and in- formed by her own passage as a migrant to Australia, the work investigates the uncertainty of location. 'Variable depth, shallow wa- ter' brings together disparate elements comprising hand- made contact negatives of un- hinged atlases, faux-artefacts cast in bronze from the depths of where the Pacific Ocean and East China Sea meet, footage from the vast Australian land- scape, and neon components that implode in on themselves. This is the first time the artist has exhibited in Malta. Izabela Pluta is represented by Gallery Sally Dan-Cuthbert, Sydney. This exhibition has been assisted by the Australian Government through the Aus- tralia Council, its arts funding and advisory body, and sup- ported by a UNSW Art & De- sign Faculty Research Grant. About the artist Izabela Pluta completed un- dergraduate studies in fine art at The University of Newcas- tle Australia, holds a Master of Fine Arts from UNSW Art & Design in Sydney, and a PhD from The University of Wol- longong. Pluta has exhibited widely in Australia at The Art Gallery of NSW, Artspace, The Australian Centre for Pho- tography, and UTS Gallery in Sydney; Queensland Centre for Photography, Brisbane; 24 HR Art, Darwin; Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts; Canberra Contemporary Art Space; The National Gallery of Victoria and Monash Gallery of Art, Melbourne, among many oth- ers. In 2019 Pluta was commis- sioned to create a significant new work for 'The National 2019: new Australian art' exhi- bition. Pluta has undertaken local and international residencies including the inaugural Marr- gu Residency at Durrmu Arts Aboriginal Cooperative in Pep- pimenarti, Northern Territory; Air 3331 Chiyoda, Tokyo; the Australia Council for the Arts Studio, Barcelona; the Cite des Arts International, Paris; The Art and Design Research In- stitute at the University of Ul- ster, Belfast; Red Gate Gallery, Beijing; and IASKA in Keller- berrin, Western Australia. In 2012, she was commissioned to create 'Unset Typologies', a public artwork for the City of Melbourne. Pluta is a Sen- ior Lecturer in photography at University of NSW (UNSW) Art & Design in Sydney. Variable depth, shallow wa- ter is part of the Spazju Kreat- tiv Programme 2020-2021. https://www.kreattivita.org/ en/event/variable-depth-shal- low-water/ Izabela Pluta (above), Variable depth, shallow water exhibition (left)