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1. What's been the most defining moment in your career so far? There have been a few moments that carried some weight and personal satisfaction but perhaps the most defining moment was actu- ally in May this year when I had my 50-year retrospective at Valletta Contemporary. Another important milestone was when I was first selected for exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery in London as part of the pres- tigious Taylor Wessing Portrait Prize in 2014. This was followed by two other inclusions in the same exhibition in 2017 and 2021. Anoth- er defining moment was the collaborative exhibition with Therese Debono, Spaces in Suspension, and for which we were awarded the Premju Ghall-Art in 2022. This year I was selected to exhibit in the Rencontres D'Arles photo festival and I also consider this an important milestone. 2. As a creative, how do you navigate the world and speed of social media? Social media is something of a paradox for me. It is undoubtedly a useful way of letting people know about exhibitions, publica- tions and new work, and I appreciate the opportunity to reach audiences that I would otherwise never encounter. Beyond that, however, I have a rather uneasy relationship with it. Photography has become insepa- rable from the endless stream of images that passes before us every day. We are encouraged to consume photographs almost instinctively—to glance, react and move on. My own work asks for almost the opposite. It relies on stillness and on the willingness of the viewer to spend time with an image rather than merely register it. I suppose, for that reason, I try not to let the pace of social media influence either what I photograph or how I photograph it. I would rather spend weeks refining an idea than produce some- thing designed to capture attention for a few seconds on a screen. Trends come and go, but the qualities I value—clarity, restraint and a sense of quiet discovery—are far less depend- ent on the fragile fashions of the moment. In that sense, I see social media as a noticeboard rather than a destination. It serves the work; it should never determine it. 3. Do you consider artificial intelligence a threat to your career, or an opportunity? I don't regard AI as either an existential threat or something that should be embraced without question. I've come to feel that even the name itself 'Artificial Intelligence' is an oxymoron because intelligence is something one nurtures through education and life ex- periences and hence, it can never be artificial. Having said that, like most technologies, it depends entirely on how it is used. I some- times use AI as a research tool when putting together a new project. It can be remarkably helpful in refining text, or opening up lines of enquiry that I might otherwise overlook. In that respect, it is simply another tool in the studio. Where I draw a clear distinction is in the making of photographs themselves. For me, photography is rooted in observation and in the encounter between the photographer and the subject. The image is not simply the final artefact but the result of looking, waiting, responding and making choices in a particu- lar place and moment. That process cannot be delegated without fundamentally changing the nature of the work. Perhaps because of this, I continue to work with analogue photography whenever a project calls for it. Different processes carry different emotional and visual qualities, and I enjoy allowing the medium to become part of the meaning. Technology has always evolved, and artists have always adapted. My interest lies less in novelty than in using whichever tools best serve the integrity of the work. 4. How do you stay motivated and inspired, especially during tough times or when the work feels hard? I have never believed that inspiration arrives on demand. There are periods when ideas flow quite naturally, and others when everything feels uncertain. I suspect that anyone who has worked creatively over several decades becomes familiar with both. I'm also coming from 42 years in the public service where I had to balance a full-time job with my love of the arts. Stepping away at 60 marked not an ending, but a renewal. It allowed for a fuller immersion in the creative process. Today, art is no longer what I return to after work; it is the ground on which I stand. Of course, I had to navigate a terrible urgency to catch up with the lost time, so to speak, and this same urgency has the tendency to make one rush through the creative process and focus solely on the end result. During the quieter periods, I have learned not to force the work. Instead, I return to looking. I visit places without any expectation of making photographs, spend time in galleries, read, listen to music and simply allow ideas to develop at their own pace. Often the most productive thing an artist can do is to remain attentive rather than busy. Experience has also taught me that doubt is not necessarily a sign that something is wrong. Quite often it is an indication that the work is asking more of you than before. Some of the projects that eventually became the most significant were also the ones that took the longest to resolve. Curiosity remains my greatest source of motivation. After 50 years, I am still interested in seeing whether there is another way of approaching a subject, anoth- er layer to uncover, another photograph that surprises me. That sense of discovery is what keeps the work alive. 5. How do you balance your creative instincts with the expectations of your audience or collaborators? I think it is important to distinguish between listening to an audience and working to satisfy one. I value the responses people have to my photographs, particularly when viewers discover meanings that I had not consciously intended. Once the work leaves the studio, it begins a conversation that no longer belongs entirely to me. That said, I have never started a project by asking what people might want to see. If I did, the work would quickly lose its authen- ticity. Every artist develops a particular visual language over time, and that language has to remain honest if it is to have any lasting value. When collaborating with galleries, publish- ers or curators, I see the relationship as one of dialogue rather than compromise. Fresh perspectives can be immensely valuable, provided they deepen the work rather than redirect it towards something it was never meant to be. Ultimately, I trust the work itself. If an image is thoughtful, carefully made and true to its original intention, it will eventually find its audience. That may take time, but I have never believed that meaningful work should be measured by immediate reaction. 6. How do you approach a new project? Do you have a specific process or routine you follow? Most projects begin not with a photograph but with a question. There is usually some- thing that I cannot quite explain, a place that continues to draw me back or an idea that refuses to leave me alone. I try not to rush that initial stage because the strongest work often develops slowly. Research forms an important part of my process, although it is rarely confined to photography. I read, explore historical and cultural contexts and allow unexpected connections to emerge. At the same time, I spend a great deal of time simply looking. Observation remains the foundation of everything I do. The technical approach comes later. Some projects naturally belong in the digital world, while others seem to demand ana- logue processes. I have never regarded one as superior to the other; they are different languages, and the choice depends on what the work is trying to communicate. Editing is perhaps the longest part of the process. Knowing what to leave out is every bit as important as knowing what to include. The final sequence often reveals the project more clearly than any individual image. In many ways, making photographs is only half the work. Understanding what they are saying comes afterwards. My back- ground in fine art taught me that attention is the foundation of seeing. That way of looking has remained with me throughout my photographic practice and has naturally led me away from approaches driven by accumulation, excess or visual overload. I have never been interested in making more images than necessary; I am interested in making the right image. 7. Can you let us in on some of the future projects, works? At the moment, especially after the retrospective, I am in that state of looking back and evaluating my artistic journey during these last 10 years. Taking it all in, so to speak. Of course, a couple of artistic possibilities are already somewhere at the back of my mind. I published two photo documentary volumes titled Survivors – The Ageing Population of Birgu, and last year the Birgu Local Council contacted me and asked if I would be interested in working on the third volume. It's not easy to refuse such an opportunity. The work on the previous two volumes proved inspirational and revelatory to say the least! The photo sessions started earlier this year. maltatoday | SUNDAY • 26 JULY 2026 Art Art works by Olaug Vethal ARTS • TV • WHAT'S ON BY LAURA CALLEJA suggestions by email lcalleja@mediatoday.com.mt The Q & A JOSEPH P. SMITH 7 questions for... Joseph P. Smith is an internationally acclaimed Maltese photographer and visual artist whose award-winning work spans fine art, portraiture, and documentary photography. Renowned for his evocative monochrome images and long-standing role as official photographer of the Malta Jazz Festival, he has exhibited, lectured, judged, and received prestigious honours worldwide, with works shortlisted for the Taylor Wessing Portrait Prize at the National Portrait Gallery, London Culture Special Candlelight edition celebrating beloved Disney love songs in Malta PAGE 2 PAGE 3 MaltaToday is supported by Arts Council Malta