Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/490723
II This Week maltatoday, Sunday, 5 april 2015 Caught in the crossfire Visual puns are just as "bad" as, if not worse than, verbal puns. While, to some, they are a fascinating and an addictive source of amusement, to others, they are the deranged source that drives them up the wall, or straight into it for that matter. Then there is another group of people which stands at point-blank range, utterly oblivious to the signals whizzing by. Walking for the first time past the artistic installa- tion, 'Crossfire', set up at the Ter- race Hall within St James Cavalier, I admit, shamefully so, that I briefly belonged to the latter group, skil- fully dodging every "bullet". Until, that is, I passed again for the second time... and it hit me. Spread across the floor of the Ter- race Hall, is a symbol I have yet to see a Maltese person fail to identify with. That swelling sense of pride on encountering the eight-pointed cross miles and miles away from the island is sincere, irrefutable proof of this. Try as we might to sever ourselves from the legacy of a period a few decades short from the three-hundred year mark, and to argue that this cross has, essentially, nothing much to do with our Maltese nationality, and much less so with our 21st century identity, the significance of the eight-pointed cross prevails none- theless. It manages to maintain its momentum as an emblem worthy enough to be carried around wher- ever we may go – not quite on the left shoulder of a black habit, but in our pockets, neatly stacked away with the rest of our other precious, personal cards. We carry this cross so casually, pasting it senselessly onto market stalls and exploiting it profusely as an income commodity, that scarcely do we acknowledge its original implications of nobility, knightly virtue, obligation and responsibility. This was a sign that had to be earned, defended and preserved against all injustices, for the service of mankind, as long as one wore it proudly across his chest. But the cross in the installa- tion is neither white, nor embroi- dered on cloth, and whatever the original implications may have been, they have undoubtedly been altered to fit a new and exclu- sively secular and political context. The eight-pointed cross, is here composed of multi-coloured rifle pellets – the remains of an en- counter for an offence there never was, except perhaps, for flying threateningly close to the fields, and within range. A cross for the service of mankind, indeed. In a way, therefore, 'Crossfire', isn't just about the cross. It is also, about the 'fire', or rather, of what is fired. The Knights themselves were hunters, proudly and competitively hunting down game, as limited as it was, in their noble and entertain- ing pastime. It would certainly have been interesting had these campaigns been held a couple of centuries ago. But if the symbolic meaning of the eight-pointed cross, is outdated, then likewise may be said of the noble implications of hunting. There is nothing noble in taking aim at a helpless, clueless bird, and pulling the trigger. Noth- ing about this scene evokes the thought of an individual pumped with noble blood and spirit. Noth- ing at all. In merging the two together, the installation distances itself from giving one coherent view on the issue, and instead occupies that precarious ground which is neither in favour, nor against one particular front. The idea of opposing colour- coded parties, and of their clear-cut aims and intentions has here been placed directly beneath the spotlight, as the viewer is encour- aged to grapple with the reality of our nationhood. The legacies of the past, in the form of the eight-point- ed cross, and the legacies of the present, among which are the used rifle pellets littering the country- Making the Maltese cross Trevor Borg speaks to TEOdOr rElJiC about Crossfire, on display until april 9 What did you find creatively interesting about the spring hunting referendum? Interesting question! Well, I have a par- ticular fascination with the landscape and this referendum implicates both the natural and cultural landscape. I guess that was one of the initial reasons that initiated the crea- tive process. What kind of 'conflicts' did you see inherent to it, beyond the 'for and against' binary? It is often stated that art mirrors society and, thus, I think that automatically such a controversial issue should be tantaliz- ing enough to elicit some sort of creative response. Given my artistic background and a direct personal interest in the complex re- lationship between nature and culture I de- cided to take the plunge. I am not saying that the referendum kick-started this since I had already been working with found objects in the landscape for quite a while. However, the referendum helped me to contextualise my work and to set the ball rolling, fast! I had to respond to this important event and the time is now. What kind of planning – both literal and conceptual – went into this particular work? There is a lot of work involved behind the scenes although the installation might not entirely reflect that. However, those who want to dig deeper so as to unearth further 'text' would certainly realise that the work is multilayered and that it comprises a lot of thought and critical reflection. I am a collector! I have always collected stuff. Prior to the referendum, I had already been collecting spent shotgun cartridges and other mundane stuff I find scattered across the landscape, however, I did not envisage the outcome at that stage. Spent cartridges are synonymous with certain parts of Malta so I had to develop something out of this material. The referendum came just about the time I was creatively experi- menting with the multi-coloured plastic and copper thingies! So, that was it. The installation comprises thousands of spent shotgun cartridges collected over a period of time. After I investigated various formats and arrangements I decided to settle for the Maltese Cross. The reasons are quite simple. Hunting is part of our culture, there is no denying that. The Knights of Malta were avid hunters themselves and that is why we have Buskett. Therefore, the Maltese Cross, an icon of local culture, seemed to fit the cause perfectly. Looking at this from the other side of the fence, hunting also makes some 'Maltese cross'! Those who resist hunting feel that they have to bear the cross of this so-called pastime. What kind of reaction are you expecting from the work? The work is open-ended and my expec- tations are equally fluid. My intention is to create a political work of which the interpretation is not obvious. Locally, we are constantly being inundated with blatant political messages which do not leave much space for interpretation. I do not want to impose my opinions on the viewers through my work because we already have plenty of that stuff around. I wanted to respond to this historic milestone by creating a work that offers multiple readings, that allows each and every viewer no matter their al- legiance, to be able to interact with it and make it their own. Everyone is entitled to his/her opinion and to an interpretation of the work and all views are relevant and important. Thus, the work inhabits an interstice created by two opposing camps and it keeps its balance and stability through the tension that dominates both sides. The work is far from neutral because my opinion is imbricated; it is there, however, it is not privileged but is equal to the opinion of the rest. Viewers should not try to decode the hidden meanings but they have to look for 'text' that helps them to construct their own meaning. The work is intended to facilitate and complicate that process! Do you think it'll be appreciated more by a particular 'camp' than another? No, I don't think so. I have seen various people of different opinions taking photos and selfies in front of the installation and it has also been posted numerous times on Facebook by pro and against hunting individuals. The idea can be appropriated by anyone really. What are the benefits of artistic exhibitions that directly respond to current events? Art can be political and art is not as in- nocent as it might seem or as certain people would like it to be or would want us to believe. Such artworks attest to this. Do you think we need more of them in Malta? Why not! How does this piece build on your previous work? It is related to the landscape, so it's another step along familiar territory. What's next for you? A nice cup of coffee and a few bars of dark chocolate should suffice for now. I want to enjoy the artwork from a distance in order to be able to (re-)interpret what I have cre- ated. Now, I am a viewer. Giulia priViTElli analyses Trevor Borg's artistic contribution to the spring hunting debate, finding oblique comfort in its refusal to pick sides Trevor Borg Crossfire – an installation by Trevor Zahra, on display at St James Cavalier, Valletta