Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1421642
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 24 OCTOBER 2021 6 CULTURE Multisensory experience about Birżebbuġa opens at the Malta Society of Arts Young talented artist Kamy Aquilina's first solo exhibition Xlokk Kaħlani opens on Thursday 21 October at Palazzo de La Salle in Valletta. BASED on experimental pho- tography, Kamy Aquilina's first solo exhibition Xlokk Kaħlani opens from the 21 October and will run until the 11 November at the Malta Society of Arts' Palazzo de La Salle in Valletta. The exhibition aims to commu- nicate a strong sense of life in the seaside village of Birżebbuġa as experienced by the artist, through a multisensory exhibi- tion blending photography, cy- anotype, light and sound instal- lation, and alternative drawing approaches. Artist Kamy Aquilina explains how the exhibition portrays her own visually documented life in her hometown in Malta's southeast (Xlokk in Maltese). "Living in Birżebbuġa means that I can constantly hear the sound of the Freeport and of aeroplanes landing and taking off among other things," mus- es Aquilina. "This makes me wish I could change the cur- rent atmosphere into a more peaceful one, where one can appreciate the sounds of nature and the stillness of silence, and enjoy dark skies and the stars at night. Unfortunately, even though Birżebbuġa does enjoy richness in nature, it is too hec- tic." Aquilina has been document- ing different kinds of memories and stories through her camera for a very long time, and Xlokk Kaħlani is the culmination of these documented feelings and thoughts, which are now being expressed through experimen- tal mixed media. "Installation art, cyanotype, and photogra- phy play a very important role in my artistic style, and I am always documenting and re- searching through visuals," she continues. Aquilina's personal artworks are aimed at raising awareness about Birżebbuġa, which the artist feels has been forgotten by many and perceived nega- tively by others. "Despite what some might think, Birżebbuġa is not just about the Freeport and its oil spills or light pol- lution. It is also about its his- tory, heritage, and love of the seaside town itself," elaborates Aquilina. "I am hoping that the artworks engage visitors in a di- alogue about the perception of Birżebbuġa and how it can per- haps be improved in the long run. The aim is to make use of the two senses, sight (vision) and hearing (auditory), with the intention and hope that people appreciate the smallest and most taken-for-granted details surrounding us." Exhibition curator Carmen Aquilina describes Xlokk Kaħlani as a "walk-through experience taking the visitor through the artist's lived expe- riences. I have no doubt that each visitor will discover that the works will engage with their own experiences of living on an island continuously struggling with nature on many levels." She hopes that the exhibition itself will offer the opportuni- ty to restore a great sense of calmness and respect towards the meaning of beauty. aMSA President Arch. Adri- an Mamo invites visitors to 'experience' the exhibition. "Through Kamy's very per- sonal and innovative works, anyone who walks through the doors of the MSA's Art Galler- ies will feel a sense of familiar- ity with their own towns and their own sensations vis-à-vis our constantly changing envi- ronment," concludes Mamo. Xlokk Kaħlani by Kamy Aq- uilina and curated by Car- men Aquilina is on between the 21 October and 11 No- vember 2021 at the Art Gal- leries of the Malta Society of Arts' Palazzo de La Salle, 219, Republic Street, Vallet- ta. For more details about the exhibition please visit www. artsmalta.org/events or www. facebook.com/maltasociety- ofarts, and also www.insta- gram.com/xlokk_kahlani.